An Odd Bunch of Soldiers
by AllForFire
Summary: Follow the Terrifying Trials and Thrilling Tales of a zany Commander and his peculiar collection of Colorful Individuals as they struggle to liberate the Earth from the Advent Coalition and their Alien Masters. An odd bunch of soldiers indeed. An attempt at an interpretative novelization of Christopher Odd's Playthrough of XCOM 2.
1. Sniper Sisters

Hey everyone!

For those wonderful lot of you who've followed what little works I've put out since I came to this site, I apologise if for leaving my previous titles unattended for so long. But College sure is a thing and a half.

And now, a new all encompassing muse has saddled onto whatever free time I've earned. It's one that had already sunk her teeth into me since Autumn of last year, and with the release of it's even-more amazing sequel, I can no longer ignore the pull to finally put my pen back to paper, so to speak.

I am of course talking about the XCOM series, and more specifically a the moment, XCOM 2!

However, my first foray into XCOM Fanfiction won't be about my own people just yet. Instead what this is, is (an attempt at a version of) a novelized interpratation of the first (and at the time of this writing, current) Full playthrough of the game by a Youtuber named Christopher Odd.

"*Gasp*" There are XCOM players on Youtube other than Beaglerush?!" Why yes, yes they are, and he's pretty damn good to. Check him out if you haven't already.^^

Full on Disclaimers first though:

1) I do not own XCOM 2. The game is the full creation of Firaxis Studios and published by 2K.

2) I do not own this playthrough, this is a novelization of the storyline as experienced by Christopher Odd.

3) Finally, I own absolutely none of the characters in Chris' Character Pool, and thus none of the Characters that appear in his Roster. The only thing of my creation is my personal take on each of these soldiers' personalities and struggles as I present them here.

A final note: The urgings of my muse sadly only hit critical mass around the events of episode 14 of Odd's playthrough, so I'll be moving forward from there. Perhaps eventually I'll retroactively write up the events of the preceeding episodes, but we'll see.

Whew! But for, I hope you enjoy my attemps to chronicle the trials and tribulations of Odd's people. Or as I like to call them:

 **An Odd Bunch Of Soldiers**

* * *

Jahana Locksley slumped down onto the bench in the armory, shoving her head into her hands and letting out an explosive breath.

Two missions. Two goddamn, heavy as all hell missions in a row where she'd been next to useless. Maybe even more if you stretched the definition enough.

No one said anything. At the very least it was a small mercy that the rest of the team and crew weren't so petty as to even insinuate that she was in any way, god forbid, doing it on purpose or not giving it her all. Just that her all just wasn't good enough.

Her eyes were still good enough to see _it_ though. The sideways glances, the slowly mounting sense, not of distrust, but simply lack of faith. In her abilities. In her.

She couldn't pretend it didn't affect her either. Her (now supposedly barely earned) nickname wasn't Fire for nothing. When she'd FINALLY dropped that target during the last mission, it was impossible to stop herself from just bitterly biting out into the comms "Happy Now?!"

Again, no one said anything, but that didn't help the sense of shame that burned her chest, both at her continued streak of incompetence and her thoroughly unflattering lapse in attitude.

Without thinking, one hand lashed out behind her, fist banging the metal wall behind her.

"GOD FUCKING DAMNIT!" Hey, at this point, even if the rest of the armory wasn't empty, the rest of the squad long gone and leaving her to stew on her own, it's not like she had much reputation or credibility left to ruin.

A few moment ticked by like that, fist still pounded against the wall, head still in her hand, breathing growing heavy and her eyes squeezed themselves shut.

No. No no no no. She wouldn't let herself sink that low. She couldn't remember the last time she cried, but she certainly wasn't going to start over this.

But it was no one around, she had nothing left to lose and it was just starting to sting so much, to hurt so bad...

A hand closed gently around her fist.

Jahana whipped her head around faster than she could draw her pistol, glassy eyes coming face-to-face with bespectacled ones beneath a carpet of neon fuchsia.

"Hurting your hand isn't really going to help your shooting." Nora told her, not unkindly.  
She could have said it as kindly as Mother Teresa, Jahana would have simply been incapable of not scowling something fierce as she turned her head away.

"Yeah well, pretty sure not even you'd be able to tell any noticeable difference at this point. Or does the Commander have your oh so much sharper eyes and steadier hands employed in some other job of such greater importance you haven't been reading the field reports?" Jahana growled out.

None of this was anybody's fault but her own. It was not Nora's, despite what some might think, and she certainly didn't deserve her spite. She knew all of that, but right now, didn't care anymore.

Suddenly she felt the bench shift as Nora sat next to her, Jahana's hand still in her as she brought it forward to hold between both of hers.

"What I've read is that you've been out there, doing your part, making sure as many of us come back as possible. That's more than a few of the others on this ship can say with absolute honesty. Including me at the moment" Nora replied, tone soft.

Jahana barked out a laugh. "Riiight. And how exactly has that been working out for everyone? Me being useless, people getting hurt, and everyone and their grandma practically BEGGING the Commander to let you take my place on the squad. Fuck, I'M not even sure why the Hell he doesn't! Maybe if I join in on the begging he might finally reconsider! Or is it going to take me getting Tom, John, Polo and Skinner killed before he finally fucking gets it?!"

"Jahana." This time Nora's voice was firm, her face resolute. "Stop RIGHT there."  
"Why should I? You're twice the shot I've ever been or ever will be, and you wear glasses! GLASSES! Just what the fuck does that say about me, huh?!"

"It says that you're not some infallible super-sniper with diamond nerves and aim like a lightning bolt. And you know what?" Nora intoned as she squeezed Jahana's hand a little tighter, trying to keep her full attention, to make her listen to what she had to say, and what Jahana needed to hear "Neither. Am. I. No matter what the nimrods might like to think or say. Sometimes you're good enough, sometimes you get lucky. Other times you're just short, other times your luck runs out. True for you, true for me, true for every single soul onboard this ship and out there fighting those alien bastards, up to and including the Commander. And if hitting me right now helps you in anyway, then go right ahead, straight in the kisser." Nora demonstrated by showing her cheek to Jahana for a second, before turning back to stare her right in the eyes.

"But get this through your head Jahana. _Nothing_ of what's gone wrong so far is your fault. ANY of it. And if anyone DARES to so much as insinuate otherwise, then they'll be getting a very _personal_ demonstration of the skill they love to praise so much as I put one right between their eyes."

She brought up Jahanna's slightly bruising hand, still held between both of hers, stroking her thumbs lightly against the knuckles. "Sound good, Spitfire?"  
For a bit, neither woman moved. Then Jahana's head hung down, the fight going right out of her, eyes shut again and a sniffle choking out.

Nora put her hand on Jahana's shoulder and brought her close, letting her lean in to bury herself in the crook of Nora's neck as she wrapped her arms around Jahana, letting the blond-braided woman finally let out all the grief and frustration that no one else would be willing to understand right now.


	2. Brave the Calm

Smaller Blurb I wrote at the conclusion of Ep. 16

* * *

Jahana Locksley felt...weird, as she geared up with the others for their next mission.

One the one extremely good hand, it seemed she'd FINALLY gotten her mojo back. She still wasn't some infallible angel of death, but a scraped MEC, a gutted Trooper and a vented Muton definitely spoke volumes of how she was out of any funk and on the up and up. Her team finally started joking and teasing with her again.

On the other extremely bad hand, from what Bradford was telling, it seemed they literally had mere days to spare before it was game over. And yet the Commander saw fit to send them on some random demolition op on the other end of the States.

Now far be it from Jahana to question "the best of them", but she just could help but feel her teeth gnash together as her nerves sat on edge. If they were even a few hours late...

A tap on her shoulder jarred her from her thoughts. She turned, and lo and behold before her stood Nora Wild, Rifle over her shoulder, hand on her hip and smirk on her bespectacled face. "Finally room for one more?"

Jahana blinked once before she broke out into her own grin despite herself. "Nora! The Commander finally let you join in?!"

"Yep indeedy doo. The Sniper Sisters finally together." Nora grinned wider as she stepped past Jahana. "Come on, from what I hear time's a wastin', so let's get crackin'!"

And in that moment, despite everything, Jahana allowed herself to believe that things would be alright, that they could and would get better as she sauntered after Nora onto the Skyranger, matching smiles on their faces.


	3. Down to the Wire

And now, the events of episode 17: Wolf Mask, as interpreted and transcribed by moi. Hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I own nothing save my interpretation of events and the character's personalities.

* * *

Arid wind blew over the AO as the team inched their way forward under hails of plasma fire.

And it had started out sooo well, Jahana thought with more than a little sarcasm now.

To be fair, it HAD all seemed a tad more simple and straightforward than their usual fare. Relatively close to their objective, small AO, pretty decent smattering of cover. And Nora was finally there! Surely between the two of them and all the flash and bang the boys and their toys were bringing, they had this in the bag!  
Then they ran headsmack into a pair of Heavy Turrets along with it's contigent of goons. And was it just her or did that Muton look alot different than the last ones?

But nonetheless, as per usual, Polo opened up the festivities with a few pretty green fireworks. Jahana even managed to pop one off as they scattered!

Then Nora missed.

Jahana blinked.

That...should NOT have happened.

Nor should it definitely have happened at least two more times.

What the...? Was today Opposite Day? Her hitting and Nora missing? Was this severely misplaced Karmic Retribution or just the Universe toying with them?

But such thoughts were shoved aside as they continued to claw their way, tooth, hook and nail, towards their target relay.

The boys sure seemed to be having a ball. Polo blew the walls and Tommy, Heaven knows how, managed to muster some extra Mojo and practically double his throw to nail a couple of those skanks and clankers right where it hurt, and next to a car at that, so even more extra boom. With Elfrank flashing and banging (the guys snorted and the girls giggled, unable to help themselves) almost the entire rest of them and Skinner on backup, the situation seemed as well handled as it could be right now.

Then Polo went down.

It all happened so goddamn fast. He even dodged the two shots that came at him right before, Elfrank's flashbang and Polo's luck holding strong. Then his luck ran out on the third (she grimly guessed 'third time's the charm' held true for aliens as well), and his blast padding and supernatural toughness had to take over. Everyone immediately tensed. He'd be fine, he'd be fine, he'd be fine-  
A fourth shot from the Viper Tommy lit up but hadn't quite killed streaked out, nailing Polo in the chest. He was shunted to the ground, down and out.

Jahana gripped her Rifle so hard it was a miracle she didn't misfire.

Tommy straight up flipped out, maybe in the heat of it all he thought it was his fault? He dashed madly around his cover, hunkering down and raving panicked out of his wits.

"The transmission signal is fading, they've almost completed the transfer! This is your last chance to take out that Relay!"

'Fuck the Relay!' Jahana wanted to scream. Polo was down, he was bleeding, he needed help, they needed evac!  
But she clamped down hard on her thoughts and grit her teeth. Polo was NOT going to die, and that Relay wasn't staying up for a second longer.  
Not on their watch.

"Nora!" She barked out to the woman beside her as she knelt to brace her shot. "Brace on my shoulder!"  
Anyone else, any other situation, and Nora would have looked at her at her as if she'd gone nuts. Instead, Jahana felt the weight of Nora's rifle on her shoulder and Nora's breath on her neck, and an instant to compensate latter the world rung as twin barrels flashed inches from each other, dual rounds lancing into the Relay, reducing it to sparking scrap.

Jahana and Nora both shook their heads to clear their ears. A little tinnitus was nothing compared to Polo's-

Their hearing cleared enough just in time for a new plasma-flavored party favor detonated to their left, vaporizing another chunk of the opposition.  
They both blinked and turned, only to see Polo up and at 'em, just holstering his still-smoking grenade launcher, calmly spouting something cool-sounding (they assumed, everything sounds inherently cooler after blowing something up, especially in a foreign language) in German that not everyone understood. Turning further, they saw Skinner's GREMLIN return to it's partner, and the man in question give a somber but smiling thumbs-up.

Both women broke out into relieved sighs and grins, and Tommy immediately pulled himself together, but everyone quickly sobered. That was WAY too close, and they weren't even finished just yet.

Just as they thought this, Elfrank got tongued (no one laughed this time) by another one of the those snake sluts.

"Oh HELL no!" Jahana yelled, lining up "I have HAD it with these MOTHERFUCKING snakes on this MOTHERFUCKING mission!"

Her shot was true, but the snake proved slippery. Thankfully, even that grazing was enough damage for it to let go of Elfrank. Only for Jahana to nearly scream again as he dashed up the ladder to the roof, deeper into enemy lines and out of their line of sight to cover him. Seconds later though, blazing mag rounds tore through the viper that had held him, courtesy of the supernaturally beastly Polo. Oh, so Elfrank had moved to get out of the way...right?  
Elfrank radioed in that his shot had grazed the last of the two remaining snakes, which did little to aid their nerves, but Nora, saddling up against Jahana once more, chucked their new Mimic Beacon to try and draw their fire.  
Huh, the resemblance was uncanny...except for the slightly excessive translucency of the face, showing the entirety of the eyeballs. And yet, as it drew out the snake on the roof and soaked up it's fire, not one of them could deny it's effectiveness.

But in the end, after turrets, new Mutons, snake sluts, MECs, Elite Advent Troops and Hellish deadlines, their final grievance came in the form of a simple Stunlancer, as it streaked up and across the rooftop to shank-shock Elfrank right in the gut.

But after all everything they'd gone through in the past twenty minutes, the squad was beyond panic. Now, they were just PISSED.  
"ENOUGH OF THIS BULLSHIT!/GENUG VON DIESEM SCHWACHSINN!" Jahana, Nora AND Polo roared.  
Two headshots, two dead snakes, and as the now lone Lancer charged suicidally at them, Polo turned him to mulch.

* * *

'Well, it's certainly been a while since the Medbay was THIS crowded.' Axle (as had pretty much become her name since her initial and perpetually on-going assignment to the Medical Wing, as she 'kept everyone spinning right on, as they had explained) thought somberly.

Elfrank who'd been strangled, poisoned and shocked, all in perfect successive order, Skinner who was responsible for the other two even making it it back alive, yet had taken some nasty hits himself, and finally the Man, the Myth, the Legend himself Polo, who had been nearly perforated and bleeding out, yet after Skinner narrowly managed to get him back on his feet, had just carried on fighting like all was right as rain.  
And some way, somehow, beyond anyone's possible comprehension, certainly her own, he was ultimately the LEAST wounded out of all three. The man was a fucking MACHINE.

No scratch that, she was growing nigh on certain that he was part Super-Soldier, part Hellbeast and part German-Engineered Cyborg.

She was jarred from her thoughts by a knock on the entry way behind her. She spun to see the rest the remainder of the wounded's team standing in the doorway.

"Hey Axle." Jahana greeted her half-heartedly, not that Axle could blame her or the somber looks on her two companions, considering what they'd just gone through. "Our boys going to be ok?"  
Despite it all, Axle allowed herself a wan smile, gesturing behind herself. "See for yourself."

Skinner definitely looked like he'd seen better days, but he had a strangely content aura about him, Axle had noticed. Perhaps looking around at his partners in injury, seeing that, at the very least HE was a supremely large part of the reason that his friends had come back ALIVE, rejuvenated him in a way few medicines could hope to match.  
Elfrank was the quietest of the three, though maybe that was because he still couldn't fully draw breath normally from being crushed, poisoned AND shocked, all in the chest area. Though she did notice that he perked up a bit at the sight of his blonde-braided teammate. Hmm.  
And Polo was, of course, propped up against his pillows, busy scratching away the lyrics to some new-fangled rap of his that he was no doubt stewing in his mind, not even looking like he was hurting at all.  
"Hey guys." The visitors all greeted in some way or other. Jahana trotted over to the wheezing Ranger, Tommy plodded up to Polo, and Nora slid over to Skinner.

"Hey man. Nothing can keep you down for long can it?" Tommy attempted with Polo.  
"Nein." The German responded chipperly.  
"L-look. I...I wanted to say I'm sorry. If I'd managed to take that snake bitch out that time..."  
"Halt." Polo interrupted firmly, setting his pen and paper aside. "That was nicht your fault. At all. Considering that toss should have been next to impossible in the first place, the fact you even managed it at all speaks volumes. And if you hadn't managed it at all, well, who knows, I or even any of us might not even be here at all. Instead, I am, as are you and everyone. Do not dwell on the past, mein Freund. And do not blame or be so hard on yourself. All any of us can do now, is keep moving forward. I know I will as soon as Fräulein Doktor says I am able. And you know you must, because I believe you can. We all do."  
Tom was quiet as it all sunk in, than a smile widened slowly across his face.  
"Thanks man."

"Looking like you're the one who got skinned this time, Morberis." Nora made an attempt at levity.  
Skinner grunted. "You know I hate it when people use my first name."  
"Then hurry up and get out of that bed so you can make them stop." Nora quipped back.  
The two stared between each other for a moment, before small laugh broke out from each of them.  
"Alright." Skinner grinned "So long as you make sure to be there and in one piece when I do."  
Nora mirrored his expression.  
"It's a deal."  
"And to take care of Max (his GREMLIN) until I do."  
"Now let's not get carried away here..."

"This is all your own fault, you know that right?" Jahana muttered at Elfrank.  
He smirked even as he wheezed out. "Your shooting might have finally gotten a whole lot better, but we still really need to work on your bedside manner, Firefly."

"I'm serious!" She nearly barked, but reigned in her tone and volume given both the place and his injuries. "What the hell were you thinking dashing out of sight where we could cover you, into enemy lines no less?!"  
"Well, first I was thinking to get away from the hissing snake lady and out of the rest of you guys' shots." He supplied simply. "Then I was thinking to try and take out more of the enemy from an elevated position, but those broads are slipperier than greased pole-dancers."  
"Tell me about it." Jahana mumbled, before she glared at him only barely serious "Just to be clear, I WOULD be smacking the hell out of you for that line if you weren't already half-dead."

"Finally an upside to my pain." He chuckled. "Though please, don't let me stop you. I think I sure could use a proper spanking for my poor conduct and thoroughly inappropriate behavior." He full on laughed as her glare turned thunderous, only to soften considerably as he began to cough, Axle hurrying over.

"...I just...I've already seen enough of us fall to those alien sons-of-bitches, Elf. Even if I wasn't there personally, it still hurts just as sharp." Jahanna told him more softly than he'd ever remembered hearing from her before. "Samantha, poisoned and burnt to death...Grelite going out just like that...  
And then what happened today...first Polo of all people...then you...I just don't know if I can handle losing anyone else. Especially not any of you guys."

"Hey, hey." With supreme effort, Elfrank pushed past both his own pains and Axle's protests to grip Jahana's wrist. "I'M the one who fucked up, if anyone. Without you and Nora, that mission would have been fucked from the word go. Without Skinner, Polo would and me would have be goners. And without the Boom Squad (Polo, Tommy and whomever they manage to rope in to carrying the extra grenades), we never would have even blasted them quick enough to make it home.

What I'm trying to get through your thick-ass skull, Jay, is that we've managed to get this far, through so much, and to pull through that frank SHITSTORM of a mission by being a TEAM. By supporting and relying on each other, even when we messed up.  
What we do. That's what we are. And I don't think ANY of us, least of all me, would ever dare to break up the Round-Up Gang."  
His smile was genuine as he finished.  
"So wipe that sourpuss of your face, Firefly. You, Nora, Tommy, Aneas, Luce and Dimi go out there, and GIVE THEM HELL. Make sure you scope and drop one for each of us."  
Jahana stared, then a grateful smile bloomed across her face like a flower. She squeezed Elfrank's hand back as she helped Axle settle him back down.  
"Count on it."

* * *

Tommy, Jahana, Aneas, Luce and Dimitrascu suited and loaded up. This was it. The mission upon which the entire future and success of the entire Resistance might hinge.  
No pressure.  
"I'm barely back in the saddle and we're already thrown into the deepest pool we might have ever come across." Aneas muttered. "Sounds like business as usual."  
"Ha, this aint nothin', sonny boy!" Robert "Old Timer" Luce boomed. "Why, back in the day..."  
Tommy and Jahana tuned the Old Timer Out as he prepared to go on another of his trips down memory lane, nodding to Dimitrascu as he saddled up beside them. All three turned however when they heard boots steps behind them, heavier than they were expecting.  
Where they thought to see Nora stood a fresh faced SQUADDIE they barely even remembered ever hearing the name of. Nick Zep, Zeppy something?  
He clearly wasn't oblivious to the immediate tension in the air as he stepped up, his posture unyeilding but his face apologetic.  
"I-I know I'm not who you expected. Or even who you'd prefer but...Commander's Orders?"

Oh for the love of...!

Jahana exhaled. No more time to rant or argue. She'd slap the hell out of the Commander when, NOT if, they got back. From the looks of it, it seemed she would hardly be alone. And they would ALL make it back to do so, that was a promise. To herself, to her friends, everyone.  
"Glad to have you aboard Nick." Aneas acknowledged placidly.

They were about to start boarding the Skyranger when hurried footsteps echoed up to them, preceding Nora's harried form by about two seconds.  
"Sorry I'm late, was keeping the boys in Med company." She straightened up and said with a cheery smile. "But I couldn't just let you guys go without wishing you good luck in person!"  
The whole team smiled, but as t five of them climbed up the ramp, Jahana's smile slowly slid off as she walked up to Nora.  
"It should be you coming with us. Nothing against Zeppy, but we've got next to no experience working with him, and certainly don't know him well enough to synergize half as well as with you."  
Nora shrugged lightly. "Maybe, maybe not. But it's not about who you feel most comfortable working with anymore Jahana, if it ever even was. It's about getting the job done."  
She clasped Jahana's hands in her own. "And I know you will. All of you. So hurry on back, you hear?"  
Jahana nodded slowly, even as both women's eyes started to mist over.  
"Besides," Nora continued "SOMEBODY has to make sure the rest of our boys don't blow a hole in the hull out of boredom while you're all gone."  
They both burst into laughter, leaning forward to hug each other tightly one only last time.  
"Jay!" Aneas hollered from the Skyranger, even as a smile graced his own face. "Hurry your ass up, we gotta go YESTERDAY!"  
"Something else we can yell at the Commander for later!" Jahana hollered back, all three of them breaking out into mirth again.

With one last squeeze, Jahana released Nora and turned towards the away ship. Just as she stepped on, Nora called out to them one final (NOT "Final") time, waving and hand cupped over her mouth:  
"See you all soon! Bring us back a souvenir!"  
All six of them smiled, giving a thumbs-up just before the ramp closed up and the Skyranger lifted off towards their manifest destiny.  
"Count on it!"


	4. War Hawks Fly High

Whew! What. A. Doozy.

In perfect frankness, it should NOT have taken me this long to get this out. At the very least, I should have gotten this up last night, but it was getting late, I was getting tired, and I prefer to put my work up fully and properly rather than just slapping it together and pumping it out.

Plus, for a mission like this, is anyone surprised that there was so much meat for me to storyboard my way through?

But here it is, finally. My novelization of episode 18: Operation War Hawk. AKA The Blacksite.

Oh! One last thing: to preempt any potential confusion for those who don't know already, each of the soldiers in this story has a First name, a Surname, and a nickname, or callsign, and I tend to use all three in my way of doing things.

One point of my logic is that the soldiers try very hard to only use their nicknames/callsign during missions, in order to avoid any potential leaking of identities/information should the aliens manage to somehow hear or see them talk to each other. Potentially innefective in the long run but hey, it sounds like something actual soldiers would do.

If however you as you read, you feel as though it doesn't flow well or gel right, then please, let me know. Constructive criticism is a creator's best friend. (But not flames.)

Or if you're just not 100% certain who is who, I can post a list with all three pieces of info laid out for each soldier. Give your thoughts!

 **Disclaimer:** I own nothing save for my interpretation of events and the characters personality.

And with that, let us finally get this show on the road!

* * *

Everyone felt like they were on pins and needles as they sat in the belly of the Skyranger, anxiety and nerves twisting their guts.

This really was it. Either they pulled this off and returned home triumphant, finally buying enough time for the Commander, XCOM and the Resistance to start turning things around on the aliens. Or they failed, died horribly, their people and all they stood for would be crushed, and it would be all their fault.

Well, not _completely_ their fault alone, a few of the more veteran members of the team thought with slight bitterness. What in all the hell was the Commander thinking sometimes, they wondered. Questionable tactical decisions, gross mismanagement of resources, misallocation of combat personnel…Of course, in fairness, all of his actions had, so far anyway, led to relatively consistent success, the proof being the very fact they had made it this far.

But to them, the differences between relatively consistent and dependably trustworthy lied in Samantha and Grelite's deaths, the still substandard level of their weapons and tech compared to what they were facing, and the fact they had shaved their time right down to a mere nine hours before it was all game over.

They were dealing with the potential end of human life and civilization as they knew it, surely this of all things should not be gambled with so recklessly?

"So ah, any last minute advice for the new guy?" Nicholas Zeppernic asked in an awkward attempt to diffuse some of the knife-thick tension in the air.

Luce glanced over to him. "Hit 'em hard, hit 'em fast and whatever you do, don't die."

Zeppernic blinked. "Uwah?"

"Son, the eggheads and the head honchos might like to dress it up all strategic and such, but at the end of the day, nine times out of ten it comes down to who has the biggest guns, and the most hands to hold em."

"…Then why are we all still alive so far?"

Luce laughed roughly. "That's the one time out of ten, boy! Who has the most skills, and the guts to use 'em! And from there, if there's one thing we luckless sons a guns know how to do, it's beat the odds!"

"Let's all just hope your sterling guts don't end up splattered on the ground, Old Timer." Aneas quipped drawing light laughs from many as Luce sputtered. "In all seriousness Nick, it really isn't rocket science. You've had at least some combat training right? Just do what comes naturally. There really isn't fifty thousand ways about it: either we make it and live, or we fail and we die."

"And I don't know about you Zeppy, but I've made too promises to even _think_ about laying down on the job." Jahana pitched in as she snapped in a fresh clip and fiddled with Critical's scope. She smirked lopsidedly at the consternated Squaddie. "So girdle your loins and oil your booty, and answer the call of duty."

The hold burst into laughter, even Zeppernic couldn't help but smile.

"Polo?" Tommy asked through his mirth.

"Elfrank." She corrected, grinning "Though I don't doubt he asked Polo for help. Thought better about using it again after I decked him through a supply crate."

"I believe his exact words as you stomped off and he began attempting to extricate himself from the debris were "Worth it!" Tudor Dumitrascu piped up.

"Good to know. One more thing to boot his ass for when he gets out of sickbay." Jahana chirped.

"Smooth, bro." Tommy muttered to Tudor, smile still in place.

"Not my problem. Skullman should've learned by now not to rev up Firefly's engines if he doesn't want to get manhandled." Tudor shrugged.

"I think he just likes it when _she_ manhandles him."

"No shit, Brownylocks."

Suddenly, the blaring red lights cut through the lightened mood.

"We're in the pipe, five-by-five!" Firebrand commed over. "Insertion point in T-minus thirty seconds!"

Aneas stood first, the rest following him to the soon-to-be opening hatch.

"Alright boys and girls. Showtime."

The hatch dropped open, the ropes sliding down to the ground as they all grabbed hold and jumped to their fates.

"To Hell with us, and back again."

* * *

"Quiet and steady people. Quiet and steady." Aneas muttered over the comms as the team ghosts their way over the roof of the outlying barrack post as best they can. "Remember, were not on a minute clock here, for once."

"Just the nine hours before the end of the world." Jahana mumbled from her current held position, sweeping her visible area while the boys inched forward. Suddenly, pink and bug-eyes filled her scope. "Chief, we might not be on the clock, but we're about to be on stage. Two Sectoids, below you at one o' clock." She swung her sights higher and to the left, spotting gunmetal grey. "And a turret directly on top of you."

"We see them." Aneas held up his held for the team to hold out of sight, ducked behind cover.

"So how do we play this boss? We mosey along, or we go loud from the get go?" Tommy inquired with a low voice.

Aneas pressed a finger to his helmet's earpiece. "Command, we have opportunity to engage, how viable over?"

A beat or two passed, then the Commander's unmistakable tone itself filled their ears.

"The skies are quiet and this facility is remote. Shen and Tygan will run as much signal interference as they can. Time is running short Menace 1-5. Go in fast and go in hard. And Godspeed to you all."

Not the most uplifting of engaging statements, but it did give them an odd sense of final determination.

"Acknowledged. Engaging hostiles momentarily." Aneas replied, then switched over to his team's channel. "Fire, time to start the party. Take out the one on the right. The rest of you, prepare to pulp the left one. That turret shouldn't be able to twist itself to hit us at this angle."

"Roger." They all answered back. Jahana lined up her shot, breathed deep, and focused.

"Kicking things off in three, two, one…"

The pink alien bugger never even knew what hit him, the shot lancing straight through the spine, dropping it dead before it even hit the ground. Its companion barely even had time to chitter once and turn tail to run, before a barrage of laser cannon fire turned its torso into an empty outline.

"Hostiles pacified." Tommy piped up.

"Hold." Aneas ordered. The turret whirred up and spun, reacting to the auditory stimuli, unable to spot its source ("Seriously what idiot designed this thing?" Shen laughed over the comms.), but other than that…nothing?

"…Is it wrong that I'm praying to high heaven that the aliens were _actually_ arrogant enough to guard this place with all of two pinkies and a shit-engineered turret?" Tommy asked aloud.

"No, but it's _stupendously_ unlikely and you know it." Aneas answered. "Fire, any X-Rays on scope?"

"Negative. Nothing from my angle at least."

"Then hold this area, deal with the turret as best you can, and hang tight." With that, Aneas hopped over the barrier railing and out of sight.

"Pious!...Goddamnit, I _hate_ when he pulls that ninja scouting crap." Jahana grumbled even as she brought the turret into her sights.

"You hate it when Infernal does it too." Tommy pointed out as he prepared to crest the ladder to shred the turret's armor.

"Seriously, what is with our Rangers and the perpetual need to throw themselves into impending death?!" She exclaimed, pulling the trigger. Her shot hit home, jarring the turret's systems long enough for Tommy to get into position and open fire.

Dumitrascu leaned over to Zeppernic as Locksley and Andromeda dealt with the turret in tandem. "So you see newbie, one easy way not to rile Firefly up is to simply avoid being a death-defying daredevil. Keep that in mind and you'll be golden."

" _Not_ running to my death _and_ making a woman happier for it? Sir, yessir!" Nicholas answered jovially.

"Pious here." Aneas cut in over the radio. "Is that turret dealt with?"

Tudor looked over just as the barrel of the once functional defense slumped down, now a sparking wreckage. "It is now."

"Good, then cut the chatter and huddle into position, we've got a MEC and two troopers that have passed far enough north that they shouldn't catch on straight away, but we've got two more troopers, another MEC and a Muton just around corner of the building you're on. Fire, you've also got another turret on the roof of the main building, you see it?"

Jahana blinked, readjusting her sights. Sure enough, a black rectangular shape on the far away roof appeared in her reticule. "Yeah, I see it."

"Ignore it for the moment, it's too far to be any real trouble just yet. Reposition to have the west side of your building in view for when they scatter. Nemaides, hop off and get ready to make them do just that and _really_ start this party off with a bang. Rest of you, prepare the poppers."

"Roger."

A hop, skip and change of positions latter…

"Goin' loud!" Tudor exulted from behind a mighty oak as he lets fly his green globe of death. A second later, the rest of the boys still up top feel and hear it as the building's corner is gutted and the goons' ire is rankled. Wholly ignorant of the master of stealth that is Aneas, they scramble to swarm the western side to close in Dumitrascu.

A swift headshot to the Muton's dome quickly disabused them of such a notion.

"Big deal." Jahana huffs with a grin, blowing the smoke from her barrel.

"Nice Fire, but don't get cocky. Focus on that turret now while we clean up the rest."

"Right, right." Bringing herself and her sights back into place, jaw tightening even as she aligned her shot. From this distance, with the armor it no doubt had? This was going to take some time. Time they didn't have. Gritting her teeth, she fired regardless.

The magnetic round struck just a _smidge_ too low, hitting the edge of the roof upon which the turret rested. Then, weakened and crumbling, it gave way to the turret's weight, sending it crashing down below and out of sight, though she could still hear a faint _boom_ as it ultimately suffered a critical cessation of function.

Jahana blinked as her jaw slackened, staring dumbly through her scope.

"Damn Firefly, I don't think I've ever seen _any_ of us take out a turret that fast! And with just one shot!" Tommy's voice gushed in her ear.

"Huuuwey! Mighty fine shootin' there, lassie!" Luce boomed.

"A singular strike." Tudor rumbled.

"Great shot ma'am!" Zeppernic praised, awed.

"Nice work Fire. Now we can finally move up without having to worry about death raining down on our heads. Shuffle forward everyone!" Aneas finished.

Jahana shook her head to refocus, even as a small bemused, bashful smile tugged at her lips. What they don't know won't give them extra fodder for teasing. Still, she should keep that trick in her repertoire, maybe even practice it. Sure could come in handy again sometime…

But just as they all hunkered into new positions along the parked train a few yards further, the other group of troopers and a MEC came jogging forward, Luce and Tommy's ambush barrage missing entirely apart from a glancing chip off the MEC, and now the party was truly live without a shadow of a doubt.

And closed almost as quickly, the gunners shredding the MEC and one of the troopers to scrap and wounding the second one without even having to resort to their sacrosanct grenades. 'Nice!' Jahana thought as she slid in a fresh clip.

But this last trooper proved ballsier than the vast majority of his or her compatriots, scooting forward into cover and taking a shot.

Everyone's blood ran cold as they heard Aneas cry out in unmistakable pain.

Jahana barely even thought, running forward to take a new position farther on the rooftop, right next to the first turret they'd scraped. Just in time to see Luce's shot slam into that little bastard.

"You alright sonny?" Luce called over.

John "The Pious" Aneas grunted in obvious discomfort, but stood tall, the red of his armor making it difficult to make out any blood. "I'll live, I think. But goddamnit, I _just_ got out of Medbay! Jesus, Axle must be sick of seeing my face there practically every other time I go out on a mission…"

"My money's on her just being glad she still _gets_ to see yer sorry mug after every mission. Now hold still." Luce said as he began to make a move to go over and apply their Medkit to John's wounds.

But John waved him down. "Forget it! I ain't got time to bleed. We need to keep going."

"Pious, for FUCK'S sake _so help me-!_ " Jahana snarled.

" _Just-!_ " Aneas barked in before she built up too much steam. "Just…gimme a second. Everyone take a breather and reload, but stay sharp." He said even as he ambled forward to pick up the discarded tech from the fallen foes, slumping down into cover as he did so.

Jahana Locksley wanted to scream. She had more than half a mind to march down there and demonstrate once more one of the reasons exactly why her nicknames all had 'Fire' in them, ram that Medkit down John's throat, maybe even drag him back to base kicking and screaming herself if she had to.

But she reigned in her emotions, taking deep practiced breaths as she remembered just what members of her team could and had survived.

 _Tell that to Samantha and Grelite._ A poisonous part of her mind whispered back at her. _Not everyone is as lucky as Elfrank._ _And not everyone is Polo. And who's to say really? Maybe the big man himself might just meet his match if we just keep acting like he's some sort of immortal killing machine._

Startled back to reality, Jahana clamped down harshly on her own treacherous thoughts and shoved them far away, taking more, deeper breaths to try and ground herself firmly back to Earth and the here and now.

Just in time to hear John order "Move up!" Just as he himself trudged on forward to hug the main buildings corner, the rest of the squad following behind.

Jahana let out a last heavy breath. _Pull it together. If you're not here giving one-hundred and ten percent, then people, your friends, will_ definitely _be_ _hurt and killed._

She refused to let that happen.

"I've got eyes on a lone Viper." Aneas' voice cut into her thinking once more. "No others in sight."

"…A _lone_ Viper?" Jahana muttered incredulously, her sentiment echoed by the entire squad. "Yeah, uhm, _no_. Vipers don't _do_ 'alone'. Hell, I'm sure if those skanks didn't always have numbers and backup on their side, they'd be good for little else than serving drinks and looking pretty for their slobbering masters like good little pets."

"…You've watched and/or read _way_ too much Star Wars, Firefly." Tommy supplied. "And FYI, the Twi'leks are _much_ better and more awesome than these snakes."

"Amen to that." Jahana and Tommy shared a snicker.

" _Focus_." Aneas hissed. This is why it was imperative that they never drag out their missions too long. Take too much time and eventually the team, however coordinated, skilled or professional, started unraveling, losing concentration, getting sloppy, making mistakes, _dying_.

The pain from his injury wasn't helping in his case, but it was his duty as squad leader to make sure to keep his team's heads together and in the game long enough to all make it back home in one piece.

And _Hell be damned_ if he wasn't going to do just that.

"Fire, get your ass down from that perch and get into position to cover our western flank. The rest of you, move up slightly and get ready to ambush."

But just as they got into place, the Vipers gal pals finally showed up, seeming to spring from the very ground, and as they began to move forward as a group, advancing on Aneas' forward position, the squad had no choice but to open fire. Luce, Zeppernick's and Tommy's shots struck true, dropping on snake and nearly skinning another, but the last one managed to slither all the way up to Aneas' face.

Only for her own face to promptly get blasted clean off in a shower of metal, bone and gore, courtesy of Grelite, the honorably named Storm Gun's distinctive boom echoing out.

Luce did the honors of gunning down the last wounded viper, putting it out of its misery and out of their hair.

"We _told_ you!" Jahana and Tommy chorused.

"Can it you two!" Aneas barked.

"Us? Uhm, excuse me, but which one of us is actually the one who always keeps running _literally_ head-smack into enemies, and doesn't even take the time to treat his wounds? Oh right! That would be YOU!" Jahana tossed back.

"That's enough." Tudor's strong voice cut in for the first time in a while, and yet it still carried that strange attention grabbing effect it sometimes displayed when it needed to. Like right now, as he could clearly see.

"Aye, getting riled up, especially at each other, ain't gonna solve nothin'." Luce chimed in.

Seeing the Jahana and Tommy reigned in for the moment, Aneas sent a grateful look to the two men, who simply nodded back. Taking a deep breath, he winced slightly as he let it out before relaying their next course of action.

"Zep, you're our new forward scout. You're just as quick as me and uninjured."

Nicholas started, but snapped back to attention. "Sir, yessir!"

"Good. Let's keep going then."

And yet, a scant few moment later, as the squad moved up and all Aneas did was move to brace himself against the side of the complex, he was _still_ the first to glance up, freeze momentarily and yell out.

"MEC and troopers, dead ahead!" And right on cue, said foes dropped down right before them from the roof.

"Fall back! Everyone get farther back!" Aneas shouted as he ducked around the building to brace bury himself in the corner adjacent to a door.

Their obedience was reluctant, but Aneas would take it. Just then he felt the wall he was pressed up against buckle, magnetic rounds slamming into it from the other side. The wall held fast, but seconds later the MEC stood to his left, hoisting up his railgun, and the second trooper dashed out of the opened door to stack itself against a post in front of him.

He was surrounded.

 _…_ _Well Grelite old friend,_ he began to think as he lifted the gun named after said man at the enemy, _looks like we'll be sharing that drink a lot sooner than either of us would have liked._

A round suddenly struck against the MEC's cranial processing unit, barely scratching past the armor, but enough to draw its attention away from Aneas and onto Locksley, her arm stretched out and holding her still-smoking hand-cannon, a look of pure fury contorting her features.

"GET AWAY FROM HIM YOU _SON OF A SWITCHBOARD!_ "

The MEC barely finished turning before Tommy's cannon fire slammed into it, tearing into its armor and disrupting its servos.

Sadly, Luce's follow-up shots missed. _Both_ of them. John guessed that even the soul of experience was growing weary from their prolonged engagement. Either that, or he finally needed new glasses.

A distressed noise in front of him drew his attention back, and he saw that Zeppernic had attempted to sneak up on the forward trooper in the confusion, but had mistepped, and now the trooper had him at near gunpoint.

John sighed. _Guess that drink will have to wait after all, old friend. A leader's job is never done._

Just before he charged forward, he witnessed out of the corners of his eyes Dumitrascu shred the MEC into shrapnel, and Locksley holster her pistol, sling out Critical, and pulp the brains of the second trooper. Bolstered by the sight, he sprinted as best his injury would allow, drew Grelite up as he went, hopped the low barrier between him and the trooper, and proceeded to vent his opponent's head with extreme prejudice.

As the body slumped to the ground, Aneas turned to the stunned Squaddie.

" _That's_ how it's done!"

Zeppernic blinked, then nodded shakily. "Y-yes sir."

Aneas helped him up. "On your feet soldier. We're not quite done yet." He nodded to the rest of the squad. "Take a breather. We're about to breach the compound."

They'd barely nodded before the whine of servos alerted them to _another_ incoming MEC, this one flanked by a Lancer.

"Oh _Fucking_ **_Christ_** ** _IN HEAVEN!_** " Jahana spat out, lifting Critical once more. Normally she was not _this_ prone to cursing up blue streaks left and right, but she along with most of the squad was beginning to reach her wit's end with this cockamamie mission and the seemingly endless stream of baddies. Her shot hit hard, but the Lancer edged out, just barely able to amble into cover. Her brow and the ring attached to it twitched. " _Oh, you have_ got _to be sh-!_ "

"Simmer down, darlin'." Luce interrupted. "Me an' Wally got this." He waved his hand out, and the little robot flew out, zapping the MEC in its tracks, barely staying upright.

"As do I." Dumitrascu rumbled. His cannon lit up, and moments later Tudor had yet another scraped MEC under his belt. Perhaps they should change his nickname to 'Scrapper'?

"Aaand not to be left out." Tommy chimed as he finished off the Lancer.

The squad took the ensuing silence to breathe and reload once more, only interrupted when the building itself began to crumble from all the sustained fire and explosions going on around it.

"Pile up at the door. Zeppernic, you breach first."

Three on each side, they then filed in one by one, taking cover as close to the entryway and each other as possible.

But any other thoughts were washed away as they finally beheld what was inside this place.

Hell.

Racks upon racks of green, coffin-sized tubes piled on top of each other as complex piping and wiring ran every which way. Pools of green slime, holographic screens belching up streams of data none of them knew how to make heads or tails off. And in each and every single one of those coffins, the outlines of floating human bodies in varying states of decay and ruin.

The squad was struck speechless. The crew back aboard the Avenger observing the situation through their armor-cams, slightly less so.

"So many victims, processed with such brutal efficiency." Muttered Dr. Tygan "Test subjects for some sort of weapon perhaps?"

"That looks more like a refinery to me, doctor." Shen rebuked.

"Once we get our hands on that sample, we'll know for sure." Bradford.

 _Sample?_ Aneas peered across the space and indeed saw what appeared to a sort of glowing yellow canister towards all the plumbing in the facility seemed to inevitably flow. Looks like they'd just found their objective. The rest of the squad's minds' were slightly elsewhere at the moment however.

"This is some seriously messed up shit." Dumitrascu declared.

"No kidding man. This is-"

"Muton at twelve o' clock, through the window!" Jahana interrupted Tommy, flashing out her pistol to pop a shot off at the Muton almost casually strolling past said window. Sadly she missed, as did most of the others, but Tommy managed to catch it and shred its armor, and another volley as well, though in the confusion no one could tell whose it was. And as the Muton's attention was grabbed and it and its two Viper cohorts streamed through down to confront them, Dumitrascu managed to finish the hulking brute off.

Luce was…less than successful, both shots once again missing the snakes.

"Need a nap Old Timer?" Tommy snarked.

"I swear this never happens usually!"

"It's ok OT, performance issues happen to the best of men." Jahana joined in.

"Andromeda, bring the house down! Fire, pop 'em and snipe 'em! Zep, time to show what you've learned!" Aneas ordered.

"You've got it! /You betcha! /Right, sir!" The three answered. Tommy once more eviscerated a gaping hole in the walls and robbed the enemy of cover. Locksley comboed one down, and little Nick ran up to introduce the last one to the business end of his boomstick.

Silence, except for the noise of the machinery. The squad allowed themselves to sag a little.

"Hostiles terminated." Aneas breathed, then pressed his helmet's comm link to the Skyranger and the Avenger. "We are about to acquire target objective. In need of immediate extraction."

"Roger that Menace 1-5, moving back to pick you up!" Firebrand responded.

"Fire, grab the canister."

"Hope it's worth it..." Jahana sighed as she moved up.

"Rest of you, out that hole and up the ridge. We're getting out of this hellhouse."

Everyone was more than a little relieved at finally hearing those words, and were more than happy to comply.

As they settled into position atop the ridge, Jahana stood before the glowing yellow tube, unease clear on her face. "Central…?"

"Guessing that's not water in there." She heard Bradford mutter, before he spoke louder. "Shen, any readings?"

"No signs of radioactivity, no significant energy signatures of _any_ kind, actually." The brainy brunette replied, sounded almost surprised. " _Whatever_ it is, it's safe to handle, at least."

 _Safe to handle. Riiight…_

Nevertheless, Jahana slung Critical onto her back and reached out. Her hand passed through its containment field, and took firm hold before pulling it out of its sockets with a pressurized hiss. "Got it!"

"We've confirmed acquisition of the sample, move to rendezvous at the extraction point."

" _Waayy_ ahead of you!" Jahana shot back as she sprinted to join up, canister in one hand and hand-cannon in the others. The rest of the squad eagerly echoed her sentiment. None them were staying a second longer in this place.

Of course, right then ADVENT felt the uncanny need to be the dissenting opinion, the team's collection of sharp eyes and ears picking out the telltale signs of "Enemy reinforcements!" Jahana cried just as she broke outside, said reinforcements landing almost directly on top of the squad.

Thankfully, it turns out dropping _literally_ into the middle of enemy lines when they _know_ you're coming is a pretty damn stupid idea, the prepared reception scattering them right quick, splattering the Captain and wounding the Lancer and Shieldbearer.

"Fire, get your ass up here and get ready to pull an Annie Oakley!" Tudor shouted as he launched his last grenade, blasting the enemy's armor and cover to smithereens.

A beat later, twin pistol rounds barreled into both of the grunts skulls. Tudor blinked over to see Locksley right in her spot beside Tom and Nicholas, vial in one hand and smoking pistol in the other.

"Nailed 'em." She smirked, before she looked up and down their impromptu firing line, all lined up on the ridge to rain down death upon their foes, blinked, and whistled. " _Damn_ , we look pretty _badass_ like this if I do say so myself. Though what does this remind me of…?"

"Reminisce later, everyone out!" Aneas barked just as the Skyranger arrived overhead, ropes swinging to the ground.

Aneas insisted on everyone else going first. Luce and Zeppernic complied, but Tommy practically shangheimed him by his belt, hoisting the both of them up over Aneas' indignation, Tudor and Jahana snickering as they brought up the rear.

Just as the two were about to grab their lines, Firebrand piped up "We've got more incoming!"

"Yeeah _nope!_ We're _gone!_ " Jahana denied as she tugged, the lines drawing her and Tudor up and into the hold's relatively safe and welcoming confines.

Tommy, after setting down Aneas, saw them and banged the cockpit wall. "We're six for six, _go!_ "

"Command, package and all X-COM operatives are secure, Firebrand returning to base." With that, they all lurched as they felt the Skyranger blast away.

Almost as one, the entire squad slumped in their seats, the piled stress and fatigue finally sinking into them like a sack of Mutons.

"Excellent work all of you. Damn good work." The Commander praised.

"Mission accomplished everyone. We just hit ADVENT where it hurts." Bradford added "This was a place no living human being was ever intended to see. Happy as I am to see it gone, something tells me the aliens won't take this lying down."

 _No, but we sure will._ Was the near unanimous thought. And yet, relief and smiles slowly spread across them.

They had done it. They had made it. A little worse for wear but alive and whole.

They were going home.

* * *

Nora Wild unconsciously held her breath as she waited before the Skyranger's lowering ramp, atop the Avenger's outer landing deck beneath the clear sunny sky.

 _Please all be ok, please all be ok…_

Luce's outrageous hairdo was the first thing she saw over the ramp, the Old Timer's face tired but hearty behind those old shades, as he clapped Zeppernic on the shoulder, laughing about something or other while the younger man just tried his best to take it in stride

Tudor's newer sunglasses glinted along with his chrome dome, the big man standing tall, a bastion of calm that immediately calmed her nerves some.

What she saw next had the complete opposite effect. Tommy trudged his way out of the hold, not looking like he had been injured. But slung over his shoulder, grunting and clutching his side as Tommy helped him able off the transport, was John, the first aid no doubt administered during the trip back and the crimson of his armor making it difficult to for Nora to determine the severity of his injuries.

Her breath hitched. No. Oh no. What about, were was-?

Jahana was the last of the transport, Critical slung to her back and a glowing vial of something in her right hand. When she spotted Nora, she gave a lopsided grin and a two-fingered salute, holding up the vial.

"They were out of postcards, hope this'll do."

Her response came in the form of a pink and orange meteorite slamming into her, arms and legs cinching around her neck and waist.

"You made it back! You're all ok…!" Nora sniffled as she buried her face into Jahana's neck.

"W-well yeah, we promised didn't we?" Jahana assured, hugging her back as the platform descended to bring them inside and to the medics waiting to take John in. "S-seriously though Nora, believe me I'd love nothing more than to hug you till you're blue in the face, but I don't think I can hold us up much longer, and I _really_ need to not drop this thing!"

* * *

With the success of Blacksite Operation War Hawk, X-COM had finally managed to earn a few days to breathe. The first of which was judiciously spent sleeping in by every member of the away team. Jahana could barely even remember her head hitting the hay, crumpling onto her bed as Nora laid upon a sleeping mat on the floor next to her. The pinkette hadn't felt like leaving her alone after she'd dropped off the vial with Tygan and Shen then showered, and Jahana hadn't particularly felt like being alone after a day like that either.

After making sure that they didn't look and feel like they themselves needed to join him in it, the next thing they did was immediately hop down to the Medbay to see John.

"How's he doing, Axle?" Tommy asked for all of them.

"He's doing his damn best to see me as often and long as possible, that's how." Axle quipped as she finished applying fresh wrappings around Aneas midsection.

"What can I say Doc, I'm positively besotted with that angelic face of yours." The man in question smirked, only to grimace as the woman pulled a little tighter than she needed as she tied the dressing.

"If you're going to ask me out, _Captain_ , I'd prefer it be to dinner rather than _your autopsy_." Axle deadpanned. "Honestly, between you and Sir Elfrank, I'm nearly at my wit's end with you death-chasing boneheads."

"Preach it sister!" Jahana and Nora exclaimed, holding out their hands. Axle slapped them both low fives without even needing to look.

"Speaking of." Tudor chuckled, gesturing to the other current occupants of the Medbay's beds "Any estimate on when the rest of these jokers will be good to go?"

"Skinner will be just fine, but he still needs time to rest up to full capacity." She gestured at the currently sleeping Combat Engineer/Medic.

"Elfrank will still needs to recover for a little while, I'm afraid." She paused. "Actually no, I'm not, because at least when he's here I can keep a proper eye on the poor fool."

"Hey!" The man in question whined, summarily ignored save for a few snickers.

Axle then gave a wistful sigh and smile "As for Herr Polo, I fully expect him to be ready, up and about within a day or so. The man is a machine I tell you."

" _Ja ma'am!_ " The German Giant confirmed with jolly force.

"Volume, Herr Polo." Axle chided lightly.

" _Entschuldigung, Doktor_."

* * *

A short while later, as the Avenger was flying to and fro to fetch up supplies wherever they could find them, Emhyr Emreis called Luce into the Proving Grounds to present him with the finished Skulljack. With Skinner still out of commission, the Commander had instructed him to give it to their next best candidate.

"So how in tarnation does this new-fangled gizmo actually work?" The grizzled veteran asked.

"It works by directly interfacing with the subject's neural link to the enemy's psionic network, essentially "brute forcing" their very brain's "access" to allow us to highjack our way into the network."

"…Say what now?"

Emhyr sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Just shank them through the skull and let the link to Command allow them to do the rest, and don't let the connection be broken until they're done. Can you manage that?"

"Son." Luce intoned with a dangerous smirk on his scarred face, popping the hard light blades into existence. "You had me at 'shank 'em through the skull'."

* * *

Sometime after that, Tom and Tudor walked into the Guerilla Tactics School's gym section to blow off some steam and stay pumped for the next mission, only to see Polo there, up and at 'em as the big man limbered up with Bradford standing by.

"Hey big guy!" Tom greeted enthusiastically. "They finally let you out I see!"

" _Ja._ " Polo answered with surprising sourness. "Mein injuries are healed, but now I've been recommended to receive what they call "Leader Training", und sadly Ich still won't be able to join you back in the fight just yet."

"Hey man it's all good. You just do what you gotta do." Tommy assured.

"And I believe I speak for all of us when I say that there are few we would be more willing to have leading us into battle than you. Or that would be more deserving." Tudor affirmed.

Mayu "Kannibale" Polo smiled behind his mask.

" _Danke, mein freunde._ "

* * *

The relative peace and quiet to recover was nice, but all too temporary. A few days later, it was time to get back to work.

Just a supply raid this time, but no one could deny how crucial, considering their fluctuating state of materials.

"Back on the clock, huh guys?" Tommy ventured as they geared up.

"No rest for the wicked." Tudor confirmed.

"I'm just itchin' to try this bad boy out!" Luce exulted, showing his new gadget's blades for must have been the umpteenth time since he got it.

"Boys and their toys." Jahana sighed, rolling her eyes even as she smiled, Critical firmly secured to her back.

"Just make sure you don't shank _yourself_ with the pointy end, Old Timer. We don't need to see what's in _your_ head, and your parts are banged up enough as it is." Nora giggled as Luce sputtered, the rest of the team soon joining her.

"N-now _see here_ , missy-!"

"Is this a bad time?" They all turned to see their latest addition to their little outing, a Canadian gentleman by the name of Alex "Sasquatch" Rainham. Tall, strong-looking and fully black-bearded, they could see were the name came from.

"No it's perfect, you're right on time." Nora greeted.

"I just wanted to thank you for this opportunity to do my part." He said earnestly.

The squad left the small detail that it was ultimately the Commander's call and not theirs completely to the side. "Hey, you have to start earning your stripes somewhere and sometime." Jahana explained kindly. "A supply run like this? As good an entry point as we're ever going to get."

Alex nodded, smiling with the rest of them the Sniper Sisters high-fived and they all boarded the Skyranger.

"Let's roll out!"


	5. Shootouts, Snakes and Shenanigans

Oh. My. Stars.

I cannot even BEGIN to express what I'm feeling when faced by all the praise and support I've been getting from everyone for this story. I think it might be more than most of my works _combined_ , barring 'The Hawke and the Fire-Thrower'.

Thank you, I...Just _thank you so much_ , everyone. Y'all are awesome.

Some real talk though, sadly.

The way I work is I watch Odd's episode, I take notes, and then usually write up the chapter using said notes while simultaneously rewatching certain parts of the episode so as to not miss any important details or to pick up some juicy tidbits.

So far, it seems to have been working pretty well, if you guys are anything to go by.^^

But, as you might imagine, this takes a certain amount of time. Not a _gargantuan_ amount in and of itself usually, but you can imagine that as part of the reason why, say, it took me so long to turn out the chapter for episode 18, and why I've lost pace with the actual playthrough.

The second part obviously being that Odd is a beast who manages to turn out _at least_ one new 30+ minute episode _per day_. I think I'm allowed a little leeway in the face of such an output. XD

But probably the biggest part is that, you might have guessed it, I'm also a University Freshman who also just so happens to be approaching his finals period for this trimester. So yeah, RL and all that...

Now that is NOT to say that I'm about to leave this story hanging entirely for another 2-3 weeks, GOD no. That would just tear me apart.

But this episode, Episode 19: Young Guns, is the last one I had notes already penned down for, and as I've just explained, I'm going to have to start Hunkering Down myself for my Exam Period.

So, to succintly answer Lord Godric of Gryffindor's review question, and one that is no doubt on the minds of quite a few of you, expect update times to definitely slow down. Say, one to maybe two per week for a little while. Who knows? MAYBE I might be able to whip up more if I get lucky or so oversaturated that I just NEED a break from my Essays and Textbooks, but I just don't want to falsely get you guys' hopes up, I'd feel terrible.

So there you have it. I hope you guys won't be too mad...

But enough moroseness! You guys came here for a new foray into the adventures of An Odd Bunch of Soldiers, and Here It Is!

Enjoy!

 _ **Disclaimer:**_ I own nothing except for my interpretation of events and the characters' personalities.

* * *

"Sooo, a graveyard. At night. Anyone else feeling the chills yet?" Tommy whispered shortly after they had touched down in said cemetery.

His response was for Nora to yank him down behind a cluster of tombstones as the squad did the same, just in time for the seeking laser lights of an ADVENT turret swooped over their heads.

"I'm getting the chills alright. But from some very real boogeymen, not any of your imagined ghosts." Jahana deadpanned. "Now quit acting like such a scaredy cat and shred that thing!"

Tommy blinked. "Wait, seriously?"

"I'm _sick_ of sneaking at the moment, and _tired_ of always dancing around these hunks of junk. We're going in fast, hard and loud, and that thing needs to be scrap _right this instant!_ Now get blasting!"

"… _Yes_ _ **ma'am!**_ " Tommy exulted with glee, the roar of his cannon revving up before bellowing out to crash into the unsuspecting defense point.

Tudor took that as his cue to finish up, but unlike his hair-abundant compatriot, his volley went wide.

"…Apologies."

"Don't sweat it big guy." Nora soothed. "Let me give it a whack." The bespectacled pinkette took her shot, and true as the sun rising, the turret was no more.

Nora couldn't look more pumped, glad to finally be back in action with the team after having to man the bench while they had been off fighting for their lives through that hellhole of a facility.

With that, the cemetery returned to its default noise level: silent as the grave.

"I'm beginning to sense a suspicious and vaguely annoying pattern here." Tudor muttered. "We first encounter an outlying turret, _optionally_ with no more than a pair of accompanying units. We trash it, but instead of the surrounding patrols immediately reacting to the alert, we're left plodding through blindly with barely any clue what direction they're even in, until we run head smack into them, potentially out of cover and caught flat-footed."

"No kidding." Tommy groused "Guess they may be arrogant, but the aliens aren't suicidal, either. Well, most of the time anyway."

"That's what we have these for people." Jahana tapped her ear.

"Right." Tommy nodded. "But for now, reload. Fire and Pinky, you two hang back and cover us. We're about to go deep."

An alert freshening of clips later (and a grumble from Nora about the unimaginative impromptu call sign Tommy gave her), the boys were cautiously advancing one after the other through unknown territory, Tommy ducking behind an old stone clock pillar, the others right behind him. In fact…

"Oh my _god_ , what are you guys, _boy-scouts?_ " Jahana squawked.

"What?"

"You're _literally_ walking in single file, dingus!" Nora piped.

Tommy, Tudor, Luce and Alex all blinked, before quick looks confirmed that indeed, they had somehow wound up advancing with one right behind the other in a straight line.

"Ah…well…" Tommy muttered abashedly, running a hand through his brown locks. "It worked and looked cool the last time we did it…?" His demeanor was matched by Luce, though Tudor was more composed and Alex just looked sheepish at having blindly followed his technical superior's evidently shaky lead.

"Yeah, when we were all up on a ridge raining death on the bastards and about to be extracted! Not when you could all be spotted and gunned down like ducks in a row! _Like right now!_ " Jahana exclaimed, raising Critical as she spoke.

The whole crew spun around just in time to spot an ADVENT Captain, Trooper and Shieldbearer march right under the light of a streetlamp, incidentally catching sight of them as well. The Captain barked in their indecipherable gibberish, and they charged.

Tommy's shot at the front went wide, barely scratching the Shieldbearer. Jahana and Nora nailed the Captain and Trooper in the chests, but both seemed to shrug it off. Even Alex's shot connected, causing the Captain to stumble.

Tudor meanwhile seemed to REALLY be having an off day, his cannon's fire missing entirely.

Luce on the other hand, the last to fire, managed to score a critical strike against the wounded Captain, nailing them deader than a doorknob.

"HAHA! _Now_ who's got performin' issues?" Luce boasted.

"…Were you not supposed to use the new device Engineering gave you to extract information from such a unit?" Tudor calmly replied back.

"…Ah _dagnabbit._ "

Over their bickering, a new shot streaked across the battlefield, pulping the trooper.

"You two finished measuring dicks yet?" Nora snarked.

"What are ye talking 'bout girl? We all know who's carryin' the biggest stick 'round here!" With that, Luce swiveled around his cover and shot at the ducked Shieldbearer. The first shot hit home. The second however missed.

" _Urgh_ , for heavens' sake…" Jahana rolled her eyes as she took her shot. She clicked her tongue when the Shieldbearer still barely managed to cling to life.

Tudor ducked around and into the old shack next to them, aiming out the shattered window, but it seemed today was just not his day as he once again failed to connect.

"…You sure you're feeling alright, big guy?" Nora asked innocently.

"I refuse to have this conversation any longer with any of you." Tudor declared succinctly.

Suddenly a final burst of fire rung out, nailing the Shieldbearer for just enough to drop it dead. Everyone looked to see Alex "Sasquatch" Rainham pressed against the shack's wall, stock braced against his shoulder and barrel smoking.

"Was that doing alright?" He asked sincerely.

Nora looked over at her blond-braided friend. "Can we keep him?"

"I'm seriously considering the exchange." Jahana hummed. "Definitely easier on the eyes, seems more reliable and has better staying power than the rest of this lot." She added, mostly joking.

"You two can _both_ suck the biggest of dicks!" Tommy shot back grumpily. And though they said nothing, clearly Luce and Tudor shared in the momentary sentiment.

"Which suits us just fine, seeing as that _clearly_ doesn't refer to any of you three." Nora replied smoothly, her and Jahana high-fiving loudly without turning.

Grumbles and rankled mutterings among the three as Alex turned sheepish, the women chuckled quietly and Tommy nonetheless had the presence of mind to reload and stay alert.

A good thing too, as a Muton Centurion and a pair of Vipers came rolling into sight from behind the guard post to their right. His hasty shooting grazed the hulking brute, but all it did was grab the group's attention, the trio and stomping and slithering into cover.

"Well, let's see how _these_ ladies like a little _stopping_ power!" His grenade sailed straight into the enemy formation, atomizing cover, destroying a good chunk of the Muton's armor and wounding both it and the nearest Viper. "Ha! What do you think of _that_?!"

"I dunno Andy-boy." Nora mused "There's definitely something to be said about blowing your load too early."

Suddenly the crimson behemoth dropped dead, executed with impunity as ruinous wounds were gouged into its flesh.

"What was that, darlin'?" They could _hear_ the smirk in Luce's voice.

"Can we PLEASE drop this inane conversation already?" Tudor cut in exasperatedly.

Jahana was willing to admit that they were all letting this joke go on a _little_ too long, but she was honestly having too much of a ball to stop now, and she suspected so were the others, despite Tudor's protests.

Unfortunately, it seemed the Vipers had been invited to dance as well, her target twisting herself in inhuman ways, turning her kill shot into a graze. "Seems like these skanks aren't quite as easy as we thought. We're really going to have to pound into them if we're ever going to finish."

"… _Ugh._ " Tudor groaned.

Alex, the closest to him, looked over to ask bemusedly "Is it always like this, sir?"

Tudor sighed. "Frankly, no." A wistful turn of the lips behind his skulled scarf. "I suppose Fire, Andromeda and Old Timer are just trying to blow off some leftover steam and stress from the last mission, and Pinky's just excited to finally be back in the band to keep an eye on them. Understandable I suppose. Definitely didn't have any chances to just bandy back and forth when we were neck-deep in enemy territory with hostiles pouring out the wazoo and our captain getting wounded."

His gaze hardened behind his shades. "But nonetheless, we _need_ to stay focused so as to avoid that happening again to anyone else. Keep your eyes peeled, Sasquatch. You got this."

Alex nodded gratefully. Moving forward behind a row of headstones, he braced his rifle, and fired. The near dead Viper was now fully sprawled out in a limp heap.

The second one cried out for its sister's death with a sharp hiss, but suppressing fire from Tudor shut it down right quick, just in time for Nora's follow up to strike it dead-on, forcing it to stay put under the hail of magnetic rounds.

But much like the Viper, their apparent grip on the situation proved slippery. Another Viper and a Stunlancer strolled onto the scene, and with a hiss and a bark, joined the fray. Emboldened by the arrival of allies, the first Viper somehow slithered out of Tudor's blanket fire without further harm, speeding across the street to duck behind one of the last stone hedges left standing.

Without warning, her tongue lashed out like greased lighting, cinching around Alex's neck.

The Canadian gentleman barely had time to yelp out as it drew taught and he was yanked forward and out of cover, flailing through the air until he collided headfirst with the Viper's chest plate, stunning him further. It wouldn't have mattered though, as the Viper would not be denied vengeance for her sister's demise at the black-bearded ones' hands, coiling around him instantly and beginning to constrict with force, the creak of bone already audible.

In its rage however, the Viper had blinded itself to the fact that it was hardly the only one with backup.

"Andromeda! _LIGHT 'EM UP!_ " Tudor hollered.

" _Fucking_ **Yes sir!** " Tommy roared back, sick disjointed memories of a time in the recent past not so dissimilar to this, only this time, he'd make sure the snake bitch was down for the count. Rainham would not be another Polo, nor would anyone else ever again, Tommy promised, so long as he drew breath.

Beeping green boom-in-an-bottle sailed through the air, landing right next to the oblivious snake and baton-bastard. The blast wrecked the Lancer's cover and crippled the both of them, but it was the ensuing automobile implosion that cooked the snake for good that Tommy savored like a tasty barbecue.

"You've been Autobahned, _bitch!_ "

Tudor nodded sagely. "Kannibale would be proud." He switched over. "Fire, help yourself to a new pair of snakeskin boots!"

" _With pleasure._ " Jahana hissed. Shouldering Critical and slinging out her trusty hand-cannon (she _really_ needed to come up with a name for it too sometime), she aimed at the rage-blinded snake and fired.

The shot hit home and hard, biting past the chest plate and sinking into the Viper's side. It didn't die outright, but it caused more than enough damage to cause her coils to loosen completely, flopping onto her back as Alex stumbled away from her in a slight daze.

"Sasquatch, get down!" Jahana yelled. The man obeyed instinctively, ducking down just as the Viper sprang back up, intent on finishing what she started as she pounced once more. Only for a second shot to pierce her right through the skull, face-planting into the ground, joining her sister in death.

And Alex had hit the ground running it seems, barely taking a breath or two before he dove behind an intact tree and his own barrel flashed, eviscerating the Lancer.

Everyone took a moment to reload and catch their breath, Alex most of all. He could _feel_ the bruises forming and his bones creaking as he breathed and moved.

"You alright there, son?" Luce asked in a quieter voice than any of them were used to.

Alex took a few more uncomfortable breaths, then nodded slowly. "Jury's still out on the definition of alright, but I'm guessing I'll live. Bear hugs are going to suck for a while though."

"Biggest goddamn shame of this whole thing, cause you certainly earned it." Tommy supplied, thin smile flashing.

A brief laugh was shared until Alex coughing interrupted it and got them back on track. "Move up everyone, we're almost there." Tudor urged.

They all advanced, Alex more gingerly than the rest as they grouped to cover him the best they could. They were _not_ losing anyone else. Not _one_ more.

Finally, as the immobilized supply train came into proper view, so too did their last trio of obstacles.

"Viper and two Sectoids, dead ahead!" Alex called as loud as he could, firing. His aimed had understandably been compromised though, and all he managed was a glancing blow.

The rest of their reaction fire was a confused and messy jumble of lights, shots and shouts, but by the end of it all, the Viper resembled Swiss cheese (When was the last time any of them had seen _that_?), the Sectoids' cover was dust, one was heavily wounded, and they were both out in the open and scared shitless.

(If they even could shit. Jury was still out on that one, despite Dr. Tygan and the rest of the Science Team's best efforts.)

Jahana and Tudor moved in tandem. The wounded one was ruthlessly gunned down through the heart, and after a round of softening cannon fire, the last one took a sniper round right between its great big buggy eyes.

"Status confirmed, all hostiles in the area terminated. Mission accomplished." Bradford radioed in.

The entire squad breathed a sigh of relief.

* * *

The amount of supplies they managed to haul in was blissfully substantial, though ultimately the team and the crew were once again just glad that everyone had made it back as safe and sound as possible. Although…

"Good Lord in Heaven." Axle muttered as she rubbed her face with both hands, sighing as she dropped them, most of the active squad assembled to visit their wounded. "A good thing Sirs Morberis and Elfrank will shortly be out of my hair, at least for a tiny while I suspect," "Hey!" "else I'd soon begin to fear our medical capabilities reaching over capacity."

"Apologies for the trouble." Alex answered earnestly as he laid upon his sickbed.

"Don't be ridiculous. If anything, you're a right breath of fresh air compared to my regular patients. Calm, quiet, responsive, and above all, not a Ranger, and thus still possessed of your sense of reason and self-preservation."

"Geeze Doc." Aneas complained on behalf of himself and Elfrank from an adjacent bed. "Kick a man while he's down why don't ya."

"And I'll _keep_ kicking until some pale semblance of caution regains residence in those abnormally dense skulls of yours." The good Doctor returned, sighing once more. "Though perhaps it is a fool's venture. After all, if dearest Jahana and Nora have had such fruitless luck, what chance does a simple healer such as myself have?"

"We'll get back to you on that." Both said women chimed sympathetically.

"Thank you dears."

* * *

Some days later, the Science Team finished deciphering the secrets of Psionics and drawing up schematics for the Engineering Team to build what they dubbed the 'Psi Lab'. Unfortunately, even with their recent and ongoing acquisitions, it still wouldn't be comfortably feasible to begin construction on it right at this time.

In the meantime, Tygan and his colleagues began and finished disassembling the wreck of an ADVENT Turret they'd finally managed to bag amongst the spoils, in an effort to potentially find ways to aid in the defense of the Avenger itself, should the need ever arise.

But there was one other marvelous application of science whose benefits they could at _long last_ reap to their hearts' content: better armor. Predator Armor, as Shen so happened to name it.

"This would have been _sooo_ great to have like, oh, _god knows how many missions ago._ " Jahana groused, even as she patted down her new light plates approvingly.

"Aye, some right good handiwork." Luce proclaimed as he thumped a fist against the dark chest plate and it seemed to meet his personal approval by way of a smile. "And the best part is, bigger pockets!" He chortled as he patted both his Skulljack and his recently reequipped grenade.

Then his smile turned wistful. "Still, I'm gonna miss those old duds. Getting' on in years I know, but they been with me every step of my ways for God Almighty knows how long. Had _heart_ , ya know? Got me through almost anythin', even the worst o' times."

"Times' gotten worse since then, Old Timer." Tommy replied, orange armor fastened on as well as he patted Luce on the shoulder. "Anything less than these babies going forward, and I'm pretty sure we'd be mulch ten times over."

"Besides, I'm sure their spirit will live on in these new duds, making you even harder to kill. Who knows, Shen makes much more headway, you might just give Polo a run for his money." The freshly released Elfrank added, Skinner nodding next to him as all four men shared a hearty laugh.

Shen had even been so thoughtful as to specifically tailor every suit for each of the recipients, right down to the patterns, even Elfrank and Skinner in anticipation of their impending release from the Medbay. The brainy raven-haired prodigy certainly knew the proper value of customization. Jahana and Nora simultaneously promised to give the brainy brunette a hug as soon as they got back from this next mission, apparently one to recover some of ADVENT's stuff _and_ recruit a new Sharpshooter into the fold in one fell swoop. More snipers (i.e NOT nimrods who ran headfirst into death) For The Win in The Sniper Sister's books.

Speaking of Nora, even clad in her brand-spanking new fuchsia and orange armor, the normally chipper woman looked sullen. Suffice to say this befuddled Jahana enough to ask her friend what was wrong.

"I finally got promoted to Sergeant, so I _finally_ got my proper call sign. Wanna know what Command oh-so-brilliantly decided on?"

Jahana nodded, herself and the whole team genuinely curious.

"Slick."

Everyone blinked, before awkwardly glancing at Nora's usual smooth hairstyle.

"Weeelll, it _sorta_ fits…"Jahana attempted.

"Still prefer Pinky." Tommy snorted.

"They're _both_ terrible! Ugh, couldn't they go for something a little less on the nose?!"

"No kidding." Elfrank agreed, his smirking eyes betraying his incoming bullshit. "I mean, any _more_ 'on the nose' and it would have been 'Specs'!"

They had all barely _blinked_ , and the next thing anyone knew the barrel of Nora's pistol was jammed under Elfrank's chin, tucking in the skull scarf and clacking his mouth shut.

"Say that _ever_ again, and you _die_. Got it _hotshot_?" Came the venomous hiss, the aforementioned glasses seeming to gleam with fires more infernal-looking then his own nickname.

Elfrank gulped dryly, before nodding _very_ slowly and carefully.

"Good!" The pinkette chirped, tucking her pistol away and ascending the ramp into the Skyranger.

Jahana merely shook her head at the shaken skull-painted man as she followed after her friend.

Then Elfrank finally blinked. "What the hell just happened?"

"The ladies finally getting tired of your shit, skull-boy." Skinner deadpanned. "Not that anyone could blame them at this point." With that, he turned on his heel and entered the transport, Luce and Tommy following suite, both shaking their heads and chuckling.

Elfrank sighed. "I swear, one of those two vixens will be the death of me one day." But he smiled beneath his cowl as he joined his fire-forged companions in their chariot. "Not that it wouldn't totally be worth it."


	6. Sunset Showdown

Jesus H. Cristopher Robin In a Can On A Pogo-Stick Pikestaff.

This is, without question, the LONGEST single piece I have ever written. Bar none. Period.

And it's a all thanks to you guys, and Odd and everyone. The drive that you all inspire in me to get this story going and never stop.

Thank you all so much, and thank you to Chris himself for checkin my story out, and also a big thanks to the reader who told him about it via Twitter. You know who you are, and you're awesome!

Just a few notes first:

As some of you may know, Jahana "Fire" Locksley is the creation of miss Julia Maluca. She is amazing enough to be cool with my use of the character, to have helped me understand certain aspect of her, and is all around super.^^

She also writes The Audio Diary Entries of Jahana for the Episodes, and just recently compiled them in a promptly updated story here on this site: "Diary of Jahana Locksley, sharpshooter". Go check it out, it's amazing.

However, and Miss Julia was the first to be made aware of this, nobody worry, I've already been forced to take certain liberties with my interpretation of Jahana by virtue of having already started by the time I became sufficiently acquainted with Miss Julia for her to enlighten me. So while you should definitely check the Audio Diaries for a bit of insight, as indeed I will be drawing quite some inspiration from it, don't be too shocked if some discrepencies come across.

Similarly, I finally got my hands on Chris' character pool, and with that, full on-demand access to the character's biographies and physical attributes, so hopefully what I manage to include from there works well into here.^^

And finally, a new character of a non-English descent appears in this chapter, one that gave me the oppurtunity to flex just how I handle foreign language and speech. And while I had fun, please, let me know how you think I handled it (overdid it, not enough, tweak it, etc.)

 ** _Disclaimer:_** I own nothing save my interpretation of events and the characters personalities.

And now, enjoy my dramatization of Episode 20!

 _ **Sunset Showdown**_

* * *

Dusky orange hued the air as the sun began to set just as Menace 1-5 touched down in what was once a vibrant Seattle neighborhood. Now it was little more than a slum, a district that was locally referred to as the Spider District.

"Definitely feels like creepy crawlies are going to start popping out of the woodwork…" Tommy muttered about the almost eerily empty atmosphere that seemed to blanket them, as they landed atop a roof not too far from the objective.

"Buck up." Skinner told him, uncharacteristically curt. "You thinks it's always been like this? I remember back before any of this shit, one summer where me and my girlfriend Dee came down here from Montreal with my aunt, uncle and cousins."

His voice softened as his face slacked. "It was my cousin's birthday, so we drove a road trip down here for the weekend to take in the sights and enjoy the scenery. We even ate lunch at some neat Japanese-themed restaurant not too far from here, because she'd always wanted to try honest-to-god ramen, not any of that instant crap. Dee wanted to try it too, so we wound up sharing, and I had to admit, it was pretty damn good…"

The squad really didn't know how to respond as Skinner trailed off quietly, even as some of them internally 'aww'ed at the perceived cuteness of Skinner and his sweetheart sharing a noddle dish "Lady and the Tramp" style.

Skinner never really talked about his life before X-COM, mostly because, they had gathered, he couldn't bear to talk about his girlfriend and what had happened to her.

Life had been pretty sweet for him, until his sweetheart decided she needed a leg up on the competition at work, and in this day and age, that meant ADVENT gene mods.

From then on, she had changed. She wasn't the same woman he fell in love with. Hell, past a certain point, he grew nigh-on certain she _literally_ wasn't the same woman he had fallen in love with.

And certainly, everything they had discovered so far about ADVENT's methods and modus operandi wasn't exactly helping to dispel such notions…

"I wonder…" Skinner continued as the squad turned back to him "If that place might still be around here somewhere. Can't imagine ADVENT would have any active imperative to wipe out Japanese restaurants."

"True, but then they do seem bent on wiping out any and all of that pesky "Earthling Culture" that might get in the way of us getting on our knees and bowing down before our Great Alien Lords and Masters." Nora spat, miming the Speaker's typical hand gestures mockingly "I still remember when they burst into my gallery back in England and torched every piece I made, claiming it held too much "anti-social" sentiment, when really the meant to say "anti-alien", and all just because I made a piece with a Sectoid wearing a foppish doublet canoodling with a Muton in a Victorian dress."

"Preach, sister." Elfrank rumbled. "Though that's why I keep telling you, street art is the way to go. I mean shit, ADVENT never even came close to catching me before X-COM's man found me. Shame he had to pick me up while I was in the middle of my "F#ck Aliens" work, it would have been my masterpiece." He concluded with a wistful sigh as they all shared a laugh.

"Well, if you'd ever let us see what's in that precious sketchbook of yours, I might be inclined to agree." Jahana suggested slyly.

Elfrank just smiled behind his scarf. "Sorry Firefly, you want to see the treasure, gonna have to brave the dragon."

"Puh- _lease_. When I bring the Fire, you're the one who's going to get _burned_." Jahana challenged back with a smirk.

" _Ahem._ "

They all started as the Commander's voice cut in over their earpieces

"Entertaining as always to hear what you all have to say, but need I remind you are all in the middle of enemy territory with a job to do?" His voice clearly held more bemusement than anything else, the grin in his voice practically audible.

"Ah, right sir." And with that, Skinner vaulted over the roof's railing, hitting street level as he began scouting ahead.

Back up on the roof, everyone else was stunned stiff at how the man they had all (including Skinner himself) agreed deserved to have his nickname changed to "Wound-Magnet" had just up and rushed himself into the prime position to be the first to get shot.

"At least until now I held on to the grace that I only had to worry about the Rangers leaping into death, now the Specialist, our _Medic_ , is getting in on it…" Jahana mumbled in dismayed shock. That lasted for about a second. "I'm going to kill him."

"Fire…" Tommy warned half-heartedly.

"Painfully."

"Firefly." Elfrank tried his luck.

"I swear, ONE squad mate that doesn't run headfirst into death, is that too much to ask?"

"Darlin', settle down." Luce.

"By god sometimes I think me and Slick are the only ones without a death wish!"

"HEY SPITFIRE, GET YOUR HEAD IN THE GAME!"

Jahana leapt up in fright at the sudden shout in her ear, twisting to the side to see Nora with the cupped hands that had surrounded her ear a moment before, an exasperated look on her face.

"Glad to see join us back here on Earth, now come on, we're moving over!" And with that, she grabbed Jahana hand, tugging her along as the group moved to occupy the adjacent rooftop to their right (Luce wanted to try jumping over, Tommy held him back alongside a long-suffering sigh), Elfrank remaining groundside for the moment.

"Dog here." Skinner radioed over. Nothing so far, move up. Oh and for the record Slick, you might want to watch that set of lungs. You're lucky no ADVENT were close enough to find out you're a screamer."

"Oh _bite me_ , Bullet Bait." Nora snarked back.

"I would, but I suspect Infernal already called dibs."

Everyone except for Jahana and Elfrank snickered as Nora glared crossly at nothing as they all hopped down to join Skinner around the staircase leading to a second floor entrance of the next building.

Out of all of X-COM personnel, only Command and a handful of the senior most operatives had the ability to get the last word on Nora like that, and Skinner, one of the First Four as he, Polo, Aeneas and Locksley were sometimes called, was definitely one of them.

Jahana meanwhile joined Nora in her fuming, though whether she was mad at Skinner, Elfrank or both was still up in the air even to her.

Once they were grouped up Skinner, pressed up next to the door, was the first to hear something. "We've got movement, towards our two o' clock."

"Make that ten o' clock." Elfrank whispered. Indeed, they all peered over to see a pair of ADVENT soldiers exit the street and walk into the lower building to their left. Thankfully, they hadn't seen them, but neither did anyone in the squad have eyes on them.

"Alright. Everyone stay cool and quiet. I'm going to head up top and get a better survey of what's ahead." Skinner notified lowly as he took hold of the sturdy power cabling next to him.

"Dog, you even think about it, and I will _strangle_ you."

"Save it for the bedroom, Fire."

" _With your own hair tail._ "

"…Noted. Get ready for anything." And he promptly scurried up to the roof, willfully ignoring Jahana's thunderous expression and the rest of the team's concerned looks.

"He's not thinking straight." Elfrank muttered. "Guess being back here and taking a trip down memory lane has him feeling gutsier than he ever is usually. He _never_ just brushes off Firefly when her threats get that creative. I know I wouldn't."

"No _shit_ , Sherlock. He should be the first to know that running headfirst into trouble is _your_ job. I hate it when anyone has to do it, but least with you I can trust you to get it done good and right." Jahana answered sourly.

Elfrank glanced over to Locksley as his brows rose a fraction. "Wow Firefly, that might be the closest thing to a compliment you've said to me in a while."

Jahana sighed. "Yeah, well, you, Pious and the rest of the Reckless Rangers might be bone-headed, death-chasing idiots, but you're also, next to Kannibale, the toughest sons-of-bitches I've ever known, and moreover…" She turned a small, wan smile to the skull-painted former street artist. "You're _our_ bone-headed, death-chasing idiots."

In that instant, although few could see it beneath his scarf, Daniel "Infernal" Elfrank gave the biggest grin he'd given in weeks. He wouldn't have it any other way.

Suddenly, they faintly heard a bark of the ADVENT troops' usual gibberish, and an instant later Skinner's harried voice broke into their ears "We've been spotted!"

"And it seems that today, Sir Dog-Brains has decided to join your ranks." Jahana hissed out through clenched teeth. "Better go save your fellow moron-in-arms."

Elfrank snapped a playful two-fingered salute. " _Yes_ _ **ma'am!**_ " And hurried up the cable, cresting onto the roof just in time to see Skinner flanked by a Lancer. Quickly ducking behind cover, he popped off his shot, but was dismayed at the dome-headed douche twisting in place to dodge most of the shot. _I am getting REAL tired of that shit._ "Uh, Firefly, might want to get up here, got a douche suffering from a bad case of greased pole-dancer syndrome in need of his shots."

Barely had he said this that twin hand-cannon blasts barked to his left, the Lancer slumping over the railing as Jahana holstered her still-smoking pistol. "That was fast."

"Psh. As if I _didn't_ expect to have to cover your ass, Bone-Head." She sassed back, smirking.

"Flirt later, focus now!" Skinner barked in front of them, before switching to his comms. "Andromeda, Old Timer, position by the ground-floor entrance, get ready to breach and surprise them from below while we hit high. And OT, see if you can get us anything useful from that sentry lamp to your south-west!"

"Copy that! / Roger-Dodger!"

"Slick, get your pink little ass up here!"

"My ass is peach and firmly plush, thank you very much!" Nora barked back as she joined them on the roof, facing their left flank.

"Huh, I wonder who's happier to hear that, Infernal or Fire." Skinner tossed carelessly as he fell back from the front railing and hoping over cover to go join Elfrank. He slammed face-first into the deck as he landed, Jahana having tripped him up as he passed her.

" _ASS!_ " Both women shouted, and even Elfrank himself had half a mind to tell him off that this wasn't the time or place, not to mention tasteless.

"Mine's tight and very grab-able, thank you for asking." He answered simply, picking himself up and ducking next to Daniel.

"Man, what is _UP_ with you today?" Elfrank boggled. "I get this isn't exactly the easiest place for you to be, but _this_? This is shit _I_ might pull if I was _trying_ to act like a jackass, actually had a death wish, and suddenly wasn't afraid of Slick and Fire beating my skull into next week!"

"I'm sure it makes for good endurance training, now _shut it!_ "

The sound of a pistol firing drew all of their attention as they turned to see Nora duck back down behind her cover, gun still in hand.

"If you're done making a nuisance of yourself, Rat-Head, I've got a Captain and Trooper on my side!" Nora barked.

"An' I got jack squat from the lamppost!" Luce reported.

"And _we_ have that Captain and Lancer at the front moving in!" Tommy added as he and Luce fired upon the advancing Captain. Tommy just managed to graze him as his fire crumpled some of the wall it dove behind, but not before Luce's shot hit dead center.

This unfortunately left the Lancer free to charge into and across the building, ducking through the door under Luce's fist and Tommy's swung cannon, and swinging behind the long-haired brit, the shocking bite of a stun-baton sunk into Tommy's back.

"ARGH!" Tommy cried, even as he grit his teeth and swung his cannon back around, opening fire as he went. Unfortunately, he swung a tad too high, the Lancer ducking to avoid his volley almost entirely.

Its escape was short lived however, as Luce promptly pumped its head full of mag rounds, not having even bothered to tell Tom to duck.

"WHOA, watch it!"

"Long-haired pretty boys who miss at _point-blank range_ don't get to complain!" Luce snapped.

Meanwhile, Skinner had moved down to the top of the stairs again, taking his shot. It hit, but the Lancer still lived.

A pistol round rained down from on high, nailing the Lancer right in the dome.

"Woohoo! You see that! Fire taught me that one!" Nora exulted. Behind her, Jahana blushed faintly at the praise, which she quickly fought down as Nora turned to move next to her. Thankfully her tanned complexion already made it harder to notice.

"Nice moves Slick." Elfrank smiled. "My turn!" Racing down to join Tommy and Luce, he took his position behind one of the bulky machines in the room past the door where the two stood guard, and primed his plasma grenade. "Special delivery!" One chucked green pineapple and a beat later, and wall debris showered onto the pavement, along with the Captain's blood and guts. "Boom, baby!"

Jahana rolled her eyes even as she smiled and moved to the left side. Yup, definitely _their_ Bone-Head.

She primed her pistol, but surprisingly Luce of all people interrupted.

"Hold yer fire!"

"What? Why?"

"I gotta jack that guy's brains' out, remember?"

Jahana blinked, having honestly forgotten. And frankly at this point, not really caring.

"Is this _really_ the time, OT?!"

"Darlin' believe me, I don't like foolin' around when we got 'em dead to rights either, but Command says we need this soon, and I aim to please!"

" _Ugh, fine!_ Slick, could use some backup, get to the second floor!"

"Will do!" The pinkette hopped down to the door, kicked it open and manned her position at the open window facing the adjacent building.

Just as she did, the Captain of the hour poked his head out of cover.

And once more, Morberis "The Dog" Skinner lived up to his reputation as the "Wound-Magnet".

The Captain's shot lanced past his cover into Skinner, punching through his Predator armor and searing into his flesh. The resulting screams the critical blow tore out of him were far worse than any wounded dog.

"DAMNIT! OT, MOVE!" Jahana screamed.

"I GOT IT!" The veteran hollered back as he sprinted up to slide next to the lower building's door, preparing to breach. Tommy and Elfrank moved all the way back up to the roof, trying to at least get into a position where they could be more useful.

As for Skinner, the agony was great, but somewhere past the haze, the face that had been at the forefront of his mind since he had heard where they were deploying, the face of the very woman whose nebulous but undoubtedly sinister fate had spurred him to pick up the fight in the first place flashed once more across his mind, even stronger than before.

He ground his jaws together. Pushing through the pain, he dragged himself out of the line of fire, somehow find the strength, or more likely the adrenaline, to haul himself up onto the building's roof. Figuring the Captain didn't have any sort of ceiling-buster on themselves, Skinner finally allowed himself to slump against cover, and order his GREMLIN Max to engage Self-Aid protocols.

To his mild surprise, he was soon joined by both Sniper Sisters as they switched roofs, Jahana taking up a spot in the middle, Nora one a little closer to him.

"What (cough)…what are you two doing? Who's covering the (cough) Captain?"

"Save it!" They both shut him down. This time, he didn't have the strength to argue.

The ADVENT Captain boldly chose this moment to jump out of the building, running to hunker down a few feet away from Luce's position. Apparently in all the hoo-ha, it had failed to keep track of him. Perfect.

Before anyone could act though, Central chose now of all times to chime in.

"Menace 1-5, the clock is ticking – that detonator isn't going to-"

" ** _Sir._** " Elfrank cut in, surprisingly the calmest out of all of them at the moment, not that that was saying particularly much right now. This day just kept getting stranger and worse. "Begging your pardon, but **_now is not the time!_** " He shut of the connection before he could listen to whatever sputtering response Central gave.

 _Honestly, does that man just not_ _ **get**_ _that constantly reminding us that we're on the clock does NOT help in any way, shape or form?! If anything, he's making us WASTE the time we spend LISTENING to him prattle on! Christ, the COMMANDER himself never does it, so why does Bradford constantly feel the urge? Does he just like to hear himself talk?_

Shaking himself from his own little rant that he felt the rest of his squad (And indeed the entire rest of the roster back aboard the Avenger!) would cheer and applaud him for, Elfrank focused back on what Bradford was clearly missing: the here and now.

"Old Timer, Showtime!"

"TALLY-HO!" Luce roared as he bounded out and over his cover charge the Captain. Said Captain fired reflexively, but the shots proved just wild enough, and Luce still sharp and quick enough for it to miss, the closest shot just managing to singe a few hairs off the top of Luce's outrageous hairdo.

The defensive barrage avoided, Luce stormed up to the open Captain, knocked their gun and arms out of the way, clicked his Skulljack's hard-light blades into existence, and _thrusted_ , lifting the struggling foe off their feet.

The claws tore up into the Captain's cranium, sliding past armor and bone as if they were butter, biting deep into the soft brain tissue, before popping back out from the top of their head as the entire device lit up like a Christmas tree of old.

"We have complete access to the ADVENT's Psionic Network!" Tygan exclaimed as lights and data that Luce could never hope to understand flashed across the interface. "I have dedicated our systems to processing the new data, but we will need to work fast – it is only a matter of time before they detect our intrusion."

Behind Tygan, the Scientists and Engineers of X-COM aboard the Avenger swung into a flurry of activity as they hurried to resolve this endeavor to its optimal outcome as quickly as possible.

"Do what you gotta do, Doc." Luce grunted. It was a testament to his still excellent physique that he continued to hoist up the skewered Captain like a hooked fish.

Tense moments ticked by, Skinner patching himself up as best he could while Nora tried to help however possible, Jahana keeping an eye out on the streets, and the rest of them covering as much as they were able from atop the adjacent roof.

Finally, Tygan concluded "Sever the link!" Luce cut off the connection, and allowed the poor lobotomized sap to fall dead away to the ground. "Piece of cake!"

And that is when things took a turn for the bizarre. More so than usual anyway.

Afore the building where most of the men were positioned, a yellow crackle of energy split the air. It fizzled and sparked for a second, then spontaneously erupted into a wholly new presence. Said presence… _looked_ vaguely like a woman wearing a glowing neon yellow bodysuit, but if the fact that she – it – was semi-translucent and appeared to be teleporting in place didn't tip them off, the fact that its face was completely obscured by some sort of inky darkness that belched out the back of its head, only its headlight-like eyes piercing through, certainly convinced them that they were far from dealing with anything even remotely possessed of a genuine XX chromosome.

" _Woah nelly!_ " Luce yelped as they all saw it twitch into cover some feet in front of him.

"The HELL is that thing?!" Jahana yelled, a sentiment shared by all. Except for a certain former ADVENT scientist.

"Commander, that appears to be the "Codex" responsible for safeguarding the alien data stores. We'll have to neutralize it if we intend to recover the data."

"YOU _KNEW_ THIS WOULD HAPPEN?!" The squad, Shen, and Bradford roared at him from all angles and frequencies. Even the Commander sent him a disapproving grimace.

"I was merely conscious of the possibility that it might occur." Tygan responded coolly. "I had heard rumors prior to my departure that ADVENT was developing a Project to render their network security a tad more…tangible. I was unaware that they were founded, much less that they were being this literal or had succeeded."

"People." The Commander cut in before this could devolve any further. "We can throw around whatever blame there is here when Menace 1-5 is safe and back home. Focus on taking that thing out, that's your top priority."

"Understood."

"If I may," Tygan said "I believe that Fire's flashbang should disrupt its processes enough to render it much easier to neutralize."

"And I should still be taking advice from you _why?_ " Jahana hissed.

"Because whatever else he is right know, he's still our foremost expert on anything ADVENT. Get to it Fire." The Commander answered.

 _Unless he's lying._ Lacking any better ideas though, Jahana primed her flashbang. "Flash out!"

They shielded themselves, and when they turned back, they saw indeed that the creature, thing, whatever was still twitching, but now it was more like static flickering instead of phasing in and out of existence, gripping its head as it seemed to spew sparks.

 _Well I'll be damned, it worked._ "Slick, grenade!"

"On it!" Nora's grenade sailed, and a boom after, the funambulist-like thing's cover was rubble and itself was flickering like crazy. "Infernal, she's all yours."

"My genuine pleasure!" Elfrank hopped down from their perch directly behind some crates, aimed, and popped the shiny yellow bitch clean out. It dissapeared with a final shimmer and a ghastly electronic howl.

It was then he was able to notice that its head, the only thing left behind, was in fact some sort of cerebral-shaped gizmo with lights for eyes.

"That was…strangely anti-climactic." Nora quipped.

"No kiddin'. All that hoopin' an' hollerin', an' the broad goes down easier than a Muton!" Luce laughed.

"As I mentioned, had you not preemptively incapacitated it with a flashbang, it would likely have proved far more dangerous to contend with." Tygan reminded. "Regardless, excellent work all of you. And it appears that some physical remnant of the Codex was left behind when it dissipated. Hopefully it will provide some insight into the aliens' ongoing plans."

"I dunno Doc, that thing looks pretty fried to me." Elfrank remarked, even as he quickly picked it up.

"We'll worry about that later. How is Dog's condition?" The Commander asked.

"Well enough, sir." The man in question answered with a groan, hauling himself to his feet despite everyone's protest, the most vocal from the two women nearby him. "What are our orders?"

"Your orders are to _take a breather_ , soldier. Then the rest of you continue with your original objective."

"But sir-"

"You heard the man, sit your ass down, mister tight and grab-able!" Nora said as she pushed him back down as forcefully as she dared.

The ensuing silence as everyone gathered their bearings was tense. So naturally, Elfrank exercised his God-given mission to promptly shatter it with all the force of a sledgehammer.

"Ya know Firefly…" He paused until he was certain he had the blond-braided sniper's attention. "I can't help but notice that the ladies do seem to be having much better luck at getting you to flash 'em and bang 'em."

Everyone would later confess that they were waiting with some anticipation as to how Jahana would react this time, under their current less than stellar circumstances.

A snort came as their answer. Followed by chortling, and soon enough Jahana was flat out laughing.

"Th-this coming from the guy who _literally_ just banged her _out of existence!_ " Her laughter doubled, followed shortly by the rest of the squad as it spread infectiously.

"Nah," Elfrank got out past his mirth "like the Old Timer said, way too easy. And scrawny. I prefer my ladies to have a bit more substance."

"Well then you better start looking elsewhere. I hit the gym and the range everyday after all." Jahana mock boasted as she patted her bicep through her armor.

"I know, I use the gym at the same time remember? And I gotta say," Elfrank whistled "Best damn show I ever seen."

With a smile even as her laughter died down, Jahana swept her arm out dramatically. "Our resident Bone-Head, ladies and gentlemen."

"Thank you, I'll be here all week!"

With a last few chuckles, everyone began refocusing. And with that came the registering that something was off. Namely:

"Uh guys, where's Dog?"

Nora's query caused them all to blink and snap to attention, casting looks all around. Then the whirring of a turret spinning up broke across their radio.

"Dog here. If you clowns are finished, I've already started moving in on the objective we're all _supposed_ to be retrieving. Andromeda, could use some back up from your side." Skinner's strained voice broke in over the comms.

"Yes sir." Tommy answered as he first moved to the corner of the roof to check his sights

"…Fire, you mind if I hold him down while you're choking his lights out?"

"Slick, you are _cordially invited_."

"That turrets gonna beat you to the punch if we don't move it!" Luce cut them off.

No sooner had he said this than turret fire echoed across their ears.

Followed by them going ramrod straight at the piercing shriek that followed.

Elfrank moved on instinct, clattering back up to the roof past the smoke of the spreading fires to get a better shot on that pile of bastard scrap. But just as he prepared to fire, Tommy's shaky voice held him up.

"W-wait, I have an idea!"

"Well then let's have it quick!"

Tommy nodded to himself, moving up behind a holographic display to get a better angle, but found himself unintentionally held up as he glanced at just what was being shown on it, his shaken nerves allowing his instinct of journalistic photography to override his common sense.

"Huh. Hey Dog, did you know ADVENT has a mugshot of you? And I have to say, it really isn't too shabby. Really brings out the blue in your eyes."

The indecipherable groan from the man himself was drowned out in the unanimous, deafening roar that blasted in his earpiece, nearly startling him out of cover.

" ** _FOCUS!_** "

" _Right!_ " And with that, the others watched as a green ball of boom flew directly into the wall the turret rested on, and a blink later, the _entire_ front side of the building was eviscerated, the turret falling though to implode as it hit the ground floor, and a large hole also blown in the roof.

Jaws went slack. Until Jahana recovered first and smirked despite herself. "Great minds think alike."

"Sorry?"

"Never mind, I might tell you later."

"Uhm, assuming there _is_ a later: we've got even _more_ trouble."

Indeed, a second turret could now be seen merely a few feet behind to the right of the previous one, booting up just as they spotted it.

"Andromeda, please tell me you have more grenades." Nora pleaded.

"Of course! The faithful of the Church of the Holy Pineapple are never left wanting for all things flashy and boomy. "When in doubt, blow shit up!" is our creed and Explodium is our bread and blood!"

"…If that wasn't about to save our bacons, I'd slap you upside the head."

"You'll all see the light someday!" Tommy preached. He wished Polo was here, the German Giant was _far_ more persuasive in convincing others of the virtues of the divine gift that was The Explosive.

He was drawn out of his fervent musings as he felt the cool sensation of Healing Protocol's restorative mists and breathed them deep. Looking over, he confirmed it was indeed Max. _What the Hell? HE needs this stuff a lot more than I do!_

In the meantime, Luce moved up to get within range of hacking the turret, but once again his streak of failures at actually hacking anything when it really mattered held strong.

"I got nothin'!"

"Why are we _not_ surprised?" Skinner ground out as he practically dragged himself into different cover a bit farther up to his left.

"Damnit Dog, _don't move damn you!_ " Jahana cursed.

Too late. Finally drawn over by the commotion, no less than a trio of fresh Mutons rumbled on down from their perch farther behind the turret, hitting street side and nearly flanking the boys.

" _Fucking hell!_ " Jahana cursed again, louder and more panicked as she struggled on which imminently deadly target to hit first. Nora for her part was equally panicking, bordering on hyperventilating.

Demonstrating quite clearly the benefits of having a superior officer watching the scene from outside the box to then calmly relay life-saving solutions.

"Sergeant Slick." The Commander chimed clearly in Nora's ear. "I believe now would be the best time to deploy the Mimic Beacon."

Nora blinked, nearly dropping the thing as she fumbled for it briefly, tossing it as far and fast as she could. The holographic decoy flashed into being behind a solid pillar close to the Muton pack. But just to be sure:

"Eat this!" Jahana's rifle fired, striking the Muton farthest to the back and most importantly, drawing their attention wholly in the glowing copy's direction.

Elfrank for his part got ready to rain down his own fire as soon as the brutes moved.

And move they did. Sadly even with his height advantage, his shotgun's effective range proved too limited to do much more than give the Muton a harmless shower.

Thankfully, the Beacon held true. All three Mutons moved up and out of proper cover to go after it, one even managing to miss it despite being right in front of it. It was only after the third and final Muton fired that it finally gave out, its purpose proudly served with honor and distinction.

Their relief was short lived. That still left the turret. With its protocols boosted because of Luce's failed hack. With Skinner in flimsy and improper cover, on his last legs.

The turret fired.

But then, two things happened.

What would have appeared to be a rifle shot came from somewhere far off no one could see, and hit the back of the turret, throwing off its trajectory just the _tiniest_ fraction of an inch.

And then, whether deliberately, from the pain, or some form of divine intervention from Tommy's Pineapple gods, Skinner's knees gave out, dropping him to the ground at the absolute last second, the beam passing straight over his head by a hairsbreadth, singeing a few strands.

Everyone regained their breath with shaky gasps.

"Menace 1-5, you're almost out of-"

" ** _CENTRAL, SHUT THE FUCK UP!_** "

Aboard the Avenger, John Bradford actually leapt back from the screen and tore the headset off his abused ears from the sheer tidal wave of raw fury that had assaulted him through the entire team's comms.

The Commander, Tygan and Shen all sighed with varying degrees of exasperation and bemusement. Maybe _now_ the man would _finally_ understand why you don't harass a group of passionate, battle-trained individuals to hurry up when they're in the middle of fighting for their lives.

Back on the battlefield, it was time to engage their game plan.

Tom "Andromeda" Andromeda ("It's so stupid, the aliens will never realize it!" he had once defended) started them off with his usual fanfare. His second grenade landed square in the middle of the Mutons cluster, not only obliterating their cover and shredding their armor, but once again discarded automobiles proved his greatest ally, the one the closest Muton had been hiding behind spontaneously combusting to roast the brute further.

This time however, he could not deny his thoughts on the matter. "Seriously though, I can understand old traditional models in more rural or abandoned areas, but these fancy new types here in the cities? Does ADVENT seriously still use _gas_ to power their cars?"

"Likely not the traditional gasoline you or I would be familiar with, Lieutenant Andromeda." Tygan answered him. "More likely an alternatively derived fuel that is, ironically, equally unstable and combustible."

"Hey I'm not _complaining_ , _far_ from it. It's just a strikes me as a little weird at this point."

"It _is_ perhaps something to think about." Tygan mused as he made a mental note. _Explore peculiarities of ADVENT automobile fuel._

Meanwhile, Jahana scored a critical hit on the Muton that looked the least wounded, putting him in the ground. "Scoped and dropped!"

Not to be left behind, Nora slung out her pistol and pulped the brains of the Muton nearest to her. "That's one! And this is-" she began, before her follow up shot missed the last Muton behind the wrecked car, the mag round striking against the ruined chassis. "Whoops…" Nora muttered sheepishly, color rising to her cheeks. "Guess I still need more practice with this whole gunslinging shtick…"

"Hey, don't sweat it, practice makes perfect." Jahana reassured.

Elfrank jumped down from the roof for what felt like the umpteenth time this mission, running up to crouch around the car wreck, and popped the last Muton right in the back, crumpling it to the pavement. "Three dead alien jarheads, hold the onions."

"Damnit Bone-Head, we do _not_ need you making us hungry on top of all this."

"Sorry."

Skinner meanwhile trudged himself over to the thick pillars that were the only parts of the front side to survive Tommy's barrage, all while fearful of the turrets scrutiny. Finally getting eyes on the objective, he nonetheless waved Max forward. "Infiltrating their systems!" Everyone snapped forward as they took stock of Skinner's perpetually precarious position.

Just a moment later, Max pulled back and Skinner gave the affirmative. "I have the objective. And a bit of ADVENT Satellite Data on the side too."

"One mess down, thousands to go." Jahana muttered.

Luce moved up closer, waved his hand in a string of motions, and Wally charged forward. The little bot flew right up to the turret, giving its systems a nasty jolt. But then instead of returning to Luce, the little guy hovered over to Skinner, projecting Aid Protocol's shimmering barrier around the bruised and battered Canadian.

All good things as the turret wound itself up, its targeting matrix so frazzled that not only did it chose to fire at the much farther Tommy, it missed completely. Not a second later, a dead hit from the weapon Nora had far more practice with crashed into it. Boom.

"There we go!" She cheered.

Tommy moved up slightly while Skinner pulled back to the car husk. Luce hit the rooftop again past the spreading flames that continued to consume the building, waving over the Sniper Sisters.

"Uhm, we sure that's a good idea?" Nora fretted.

"No, but we're not done yet and those are the best positions." Jahana sighed.

"For however long they last…" Nonetheless both moved upwards, careful not to get singed as they ascended the cabling.

Skinner finally managed to take the time to apply another dose of Healing Protocol to himself. Frankly without this stuff it would have been a miracle if he could even move.

No one was eager to start moving any further. Instead they took the time to catch their breaths. Which was made slightly problematic as fire continued to eat away at the building, smoke rising as it started to fall apart at the seams, the ledge barely a foot away from Nora crumbling away.

"Guys…"

"We know Slick, just scooch on over here." Luce replied. Nora nodded and nestled herself between the Old Timer and Jahana, who gave her shoulder a reassuring pat.

Tommy was the first to move up, then Skinner and Elfrank joined his side, the former despite the latter's insistence that he stay put.

That's when Tommy heard it, somewhere to his upper right. He held up his fist to warn them into cover. "We've got movement here!"

Still everyone stayed put, even as the cracking of whatever glass windows were still left intact informed them of the building getting more unsafe by the second.

Until entire man-sized chunks began breaking off, the spot where Nora had been a minute ago falling into the fiery depths as the whole structure began to groan.

"Menace 1-5, this might just be my outside opinion, but I don't think staying on that structure is going to be a good idea for much longer." The Commander notified.

"Yeah, uhm, _I'm with the Commander on this one._ " Nora promptly declared.

"Also, overhead imagery is showing us only two hostiles left in the area: a Shieldbearer and a Muton, directly to the two o' clock of your forward team."

"Understood." Elfrank moved up, and sure enough, he and the aforementioned pair spotted each other. Only for Elfrank's eyes to widen as a Stun Lancer revealed itself to have been hiding itself inside the Muton's large signature. _Clever bastards…_ "Uh guys, slight change, make that an SB, a Muton and one sneaky SOB of a Lancer."

" _Terrific…_ " Skinner groaned.

"Never fear, for the Holy Pineapple of Boom shall see us through this final trial!" Tommy proclaimed as he launched his final party favor, breaking down yet another flank of the building along with the trio's armor. He then tilted his head. "Real talk, how _do_ these places always manage to hold up? Would they keep floating even if we visited the Blazing Wrath of Explodium on the entire base's perimeter?"

" _Oh my_ _God_ …" Nora breathed, horror-struck. "Andromeda's _snapped_."

"I've never seen him act anywhere near _this_ bonkers." Jahana agreed, face matching.

"A man will find his faith in whatever brings him strength an' comfort." Luce intoned sagely "Personally I can think o' worse things to preach for than the stuff that's let us, and keeps letting us, splatter so many alien varmints' guts all over the floor.

Ah, but don't you worry your purdy little heads. He jus' needs some time with Kannibale. The sheep get antsy when away from their shepherd for too long after all, what with the big guy so busy lately with that "Leader Trainin'" the head honchos stuck him in."

Deciding for the moment that their companion's mental sanity was a concern more properly addressed at the mission's end, Locksley leaned over the railing to fire her pistol at the freshly exposed Lancer. It dodged, the round merely grazing it. Clicking her tongue, Critical was the next to fire, the rifle round striking true as it smeared the Lancer's brains all over the pavement.

Nora tried to copy her for the Muton, but again, her pistol shot missed. "Good grief, I _really_ need more practice at this!"

 _Then_ she _also_ missed her following sniper shot. From an elevated position. On a large, non-moving target. That was exposed and out of any sort of cover.

"…Slick?"

Jahana's tone and gaze were far from harsh, yet still Nora didn't dare look at her or Luce or any of the other gazes that were doubtless glancing at her, drawing into herself abashedly, her face only shades away from matching her hair.

Shaking it off, Jahana picked up a little of the slack with her own pistol shot, this one hitting dead on.

Elfrank decided now was the appropriate time to introduce these alien douchebags to the business end of his boomstick, up close and personal, and proceeded to do just that.

And some way, somehow, the resulting kinetic impact of his shot was enough to literally send the Muton's corpse flying into the barricade dividers behind it.

Elfrank blinked, along with everyone else, looking over his shotgun as he turned it over this way and that. " _Dayum_ , what did Shen _do_ to my gun when I wasn't looking?"

"I can assure you, Sergeant, I have never touched any of your weapons without any of you explicitly asking me to." The brainy brunette clarified in his ear.

"Begging your pardon Chief, but… _Bull_."

"Considering what we just saw Sergeant, I can pardon your skepticism…" Shen now sounded uncertain herself.

Skinner meanwhile chucked his own grenade. The amount of building it destroyed was infinitesimal compared to Tommy, but more importantly, it wounded the Shieldbearer just enough so that when dear old Luce jumped down from the soon to be burning roof for what he hoped was the very last time, his Wally's Combat Protocol put it down for the count.

"Status confirmed, all hostiles are down and the area is secure." The Commander signaled with a smile. He figured it might still not be the best idea for anyone's nerves to have the squad hear Bradford's voice again just yet, even if it was to give them good news. "Oh, and one last thing: heads up, you're about to meet your newest colleague."

The team finally allowed themselves to breathe with relief, though Jahana and Nora quickly got of the building first before they did so. Only then did the Commander's second statement register, just in time to hear footsteps to their right. On reflex they raised their weapons again, only to come face to face with a bespectacled, blue-eyed, well-built blond man with a light five o'clock shadow and slight scarring around his mouth and chin. He wore red and black fatigues, a rifle slung over his back, a pistol at his hip, a weathered cap, and an uneasy smile as he held his hands up.

" _Ich komme in Frieden?_ " (I come in peace?)

The team all shared the same thought as they sagged once more.

 _Polo's going to love this one._

And just as they thought this, the building behind them finally gave out, sinking in on itself in a hazy, pluming pyre. Tommy promptly sank to his knees and threw his arms up to the heavens.

"PRAISE BE TO THE EXPLODY ONES!"

* * *

As it turned out, splatting that glittery yellow lady-thing had actually bought them even more time on the clock against the Avatar project. Not many understood how exactly, but predictably few cared.

Much more pertinent to most was the new addition to their ranks, Andrew Polman. Revealed as the one to whom Skinner most likely owed his life, in addition to being the one who leaked them the intel's location in the first place and a demonstrably good shot, the rest of the roster was quick to welcome the new German with open arms.

 _Especially_ Polo. The big man was overjoyed at having another soul with which to converse freely in his mother tongue. Even more so when he learned they practically owed one of his oldest comrades in XCOM's life to him. The new guy felt bashful under all the friendly and boisterous praise, but that wasn't to say he wasn't touched by it, or that it didn't reinforce his belief in his decision to join the fight even further.

Speaking of Morberis "Wound-Magnet" Skinner…

"Alright, I can resign myself to the inevitability that one of you, some more than others, is likely to be injured, perhaps even gravely, whenever you venture into the field. But please, explain to me…" Axle gestured widely with both arms at both men, one near comatose in his sick bed and the other upright, hale and hearty if a little tired. "How is it that Sir Skinner, your _Medic_ mind you, is at death's door while _Elfrank_ is the one to come home without a _scratch?!_ "

"We've been wondering that ourselves the whole ride back, Doc." The street artist muttered.

"It was his own damn fault." Jahana grumbled half-heartedly as she and Nora served as volunteer nurses for the number of current wounded, wrapping fresh bandages on Aeneas. "He just kept pressing forward, without eyes or backup, and refused to listen to reason or even slow down, even after he got shot _twice_ by heavy fire!"

Axle sighed, rubbing her temples. "Yes, I'm obliged to agree, based on my reading of the field report. Would any of you be so kind to perchance enlighten me as to _why?_ "

"…Long story." Nora supplied as she replaced Alex's IV. Nearby, Tommy slept more or less peacefully, his wounds not as deep, although they all worried at the way he cradled a grenade like one would a teddy bear (Thankfully they ensured it was a dud). "Short version: bad trip down memory lane and not enough self-preservation instinct."

"I see. I'll have to slot in some time to work on possible mental trauma then. I suppose we'd best fetch him a sword for his new chosen vocation?"

"Doc, didn't you _just_ admit I came back home without a scratch?" Elfrank groused without any heat whatsoever.

It got his desired effect however, getting Axle to chuckle lightly. "Allow an old bat her jests, Daniel."

"Lucia, you're the _same age_ as any of us. Now, as for you _talking_ like an old grandma…"

"Perhaps we should leave the jests there before one of us _receives_ a reason to require a stay here." Axle cut off sweetly, matching smiles on the Sniper Sisters' faces.

"Yes ma'am."

* * *

Up in the Living Quarters, Luce sat enjoying a beer with Tudor as they gazed out the window at the setting sun, sunglasses shining in the light they reflected away.

"I tell ya lad." Luce said as they enjoyed the gold-bathed landscape "It ain't getting' any easier."

"Personally I would be gravely shocked if it ever did. Not that I would particularly mind."

"I hear that. But still, we're pullin' through, day by day. Tommy boy flipped his cap on the last mission though."

"Ahh." Tudor nodded his pale bald head sagely "The Blasting Point, as we call it. Not all are equally ready to bask in the blazing glory of The Explosive. Fear not, I and Polo shall endeavor to reel our fellow Boom Brother's mind back from the brink."

"I'll drink to that." Luce toasted.

* * *

Speaking of drinks, past all the warm welcomes and the congratulations, Lt. Andrew "Slinger" Polman found himself completely alone at the Avenger's bar. Not even a bartender in sight. That was ok with him though. He rarely drank. Just a little time to himself to gather his thoughts.

He'd made it. He'd finally, truly made it. He'd managed to find and join X-COM, and with such a positive first impression too! He wished he could have done more to aid the squad that had picked him up, but with his limited weapons and little else, ruining that turret's shot was best he could manage from so far away.

The new gear the techies had already provided him with though…man he couldn't wait to take those babies out for a spin. Plus, the Chief Engineer was rather pretty…

Shaking such thoughts from his mind, he turned to what he assumed was some sort of Wall of Heroes, a memorial to the brave souls lost in the conflict with the alien _Bastarde_. He supposed it was somewhat heartening that, despite it all, only two faces filled its space.

The first was a rather petite looking young woman, light brown hair styled in a bob with a cloth headband to keep it out of her bright eyes, and a red shirt emblazoned with the white X-COM sigil that was so intrinsically familiar to him on the front. Sergeant Samantha "Singer" Reed, the name plaque read. Below that, another plaque held the inscription:

" _Poison and fire. Too much for one person to recover from. Note to other operatives: Fire is bad._ "

Andrew could not help but snort lightly despite himself. A way to learn from the mistakes of the fallen while also commemorating them. He could appreciate such a blend of sentimentality and pragmatism. And indeed, Andrew shuddered at the thought of being poisoned while simultaneously burning to death. What a gruesome way to die.

The second one was a smooth, pale-faced man by the name of Corporal Albert "The One" Grelite. Andrew was forced to admit he wouldn't have thought much of the man had he met him in the street, with his dark, simple-styled short hair and dark eyes with nothing else remarkable about his portrait. Then again was he really one to talk?

The inscription below his name plaque read: " _Doors do not equal safety._ "

 _That_ was a bit more obtuse than Andrew expected, unsure what to make of it. He supposed he'd have to ask for the story sometime. Tactfully, and after getting to know the crew enough to broach such no doubt sensitive topics.

But in the end, seated at the empty bar with only Sergeant Reed and Corporal Grelite's portraits for company, Andrew Polman allowed a simple promise to fill his mind, his hands clenching as he cast his thoughts back to what had drove him to seek out X-COM in the first place.

 _I promise you, mein Freunde, mein Familie, I_ will _find out what happened to you. And should it become clear that you have found your final rest…I promise to ensure you find your rightful place on this wall._

* * *

Sometime later, deep in the confines of the Avenger's still unexcavated bowels, Sniper Wolf sat up and wiped her brow as she, Joe Vargas and Isabell Di Angelo _finally_ finished up a fresh Power Relay.

Just in time to receive their next assignment to clear out an adjacent room full of dilapidated alien machinery.

Admittedly, what essentially amounted to janitorial duty wasn't exactly what they had in mind when they joined up with X-COM.

But they could not deny seeing that their work was just as crucial to X-COM's operations as the soldiers'.

Plus, often enough they were all pulled away from the grunt work to help in some other project or man a post in one of the facilities. Sniper Wolf herself had been practically all over the ship in the time since she came aboard.

With a firm nod to each other, they gathered up their gear and their tools, and strode off toward their next assignment.

* * *

Currently, the Avenger was parked in a wide open valley plain of colored grass, scans having picked up a sizeable concentration of alien alloys.

And when the retrieval team hit groundside, they found out why. More than a dozen of Alien corpses, mostly Sectoids, littered the landscape, some half-buried, others left to rot.

"A mass _alien_ grave? Much as I'd love to shake the hand of whoever did this, I'd love to know the why and how first." Bradford mused, manning the bar that night as an officer handed him the report. Around the bar, chatting up to this point, sat Andrew, Jahana and Nora.

"According to Dr. Tygan, most of the casualties were inflicted using a high caliber ballistic firearm."

"Ballistic? Must've been someone dealing in the black market, or an outsider trying to survive with whatever they could scrounge up."

"Uhm…actually…" Everyone turned to their newest addition, who was bashfully scratching the scars on his face. "That…might have been me."

In the stares that ensued, he saw nothing else to do but elaborate.

"Some time ago now, as I was trekking mein way across the States in my efforts to catch up to you, I was beset upon by that gaggle of Alien Bastarde we are currently looting. I know nicht what so many were doing all the way out here, but suffice to say that was hardly mein größte (biggest) concern at the time, as opposed to filling their pink little Köpfe (heads) with lead. I detest tooting mein own Alp horn, but I'm pretty gut with handguns. I had myself a genuine old-school showdown."

Here he looked down some at his left hand, the right palming his face-scars. "Unfortunately, neither mein Fähigkeit (skill) nor mein Glück (luck) held all the way through, und a few managed to get in close. That is how I got these scars. Und mein second handgun broke apart in the struggle. Suffice to say it will take some time und practice before I feel myself ready to try that again."

His tale concluded, he looked up to find Jahana and Nora's faces inches from his own, his glasses and Nora's almost clinkling. He blinked. "Was?"

" _Teach us all the things!_ "

" _Was?!_ "

* * *

An-Yi "Lily" Shen hunched at her workstation in Engineering, turning and twisting the newly promoted Lieutenant Elfrank's shotgun as she peered and squinted at every little piece, trying to decipher just what had caused such a massive burst of kinetic force on the Lieutenant's last shot.

So far…nothing. Everything was in working order and she could tell that the Lieutenant took great care of his weapon. Probably an attention to detail born from his artistic soul.

But no chinks, no glitches, nothing whatsoever to explain what had happened. To an Engineer such as herself, it was maddening, but she knew that if she continued to come up empty, she'd have little choice than to move on to far more pressing matters.

Sighing, she set the weapon down before stretching up and turning around, only to come face to face with two pair of bright brown eyes, one of them behind glasses she herself had made for them.

"Hey Lily!" The Sniper Sisters chorused.

Startled, Lily shoved herself backwards, nearly spilling herself across her workstation before she righted herself.

"Whoa my god, we're sorry, we didn't mean to-"

"No no, it's ok, it's my fault really. I always get so focused in my work I never hear anyone coming." Lily laughed off as she brushed down her clothes. She looked back up. "So, what can I help you two with?"

"Oh nothing at all, we were just on our way to the range to practice gunslinging with Polman. You know, the new guy? He's a beast with a hand-cannon!" Nora chirped.

"But there _was_ one thing the both of us had agreed we'd do once we got back from that last mission." Jahana smiled "Everyone's just been so swamped, including you, that we never got a chance until now."

Lily blinked her dark eyes curiously. "And what's that?"

Both women smirked. " _This._ " And with that, without further warning, Lily found herself hoist up in the air with her feet swaying above the ground, Jahana utterly ensnaring her in one of the biggest, tightest bear hugs she'd ever received in her life.

 _My God I never realized she was this strong!_ Lily marveled. _Guess all that time in the gym pays off._ Not to say Lily herself wasn't fit, her own toned, sleeveless arms proof that a tinkerer's life was no less intense than a soldier's (as well as her own self-imposed trips to the gym every once in a while). But if she had to make a crude personal comparison, Jahana felt like an Amazon against her own Athlete.

That was not to say Jahana was hard or uncomfortable, far from it. To the contrary, the warmth of her skin through her clothes and the fleshy density of her musculature actually felt very cozy.

And that was before Jahana lowered Lily down, only to bring her within reach of Nora's own bear hug from behind, the pinkette pressing into her back with gentle force as her arms caged her in.

Now squished between both women and feeling their breaths on her neck, all Lily could think was that she didn't really feel like moving right then, only wanting to return the hugs, and promptly did so as best she could.

"Originally, this was supposed to say thank you for the new armor and the custom jobs on them." Nora explained softly in her ear. "But at this point, after said armor probably being the only thing that held Skinner together, and your guns being what helps us kill the bastards, _and_ all your gadgets that usually let us make it back home with no more than a few scratches, it's really more to say:"

"Thank you for everything." Jahana finished, both of them squeezing her a little tighter. Then with two quick pecks to her cheeks from each of them, they let her go, tossing bright smiles back at her over their shoulders as they sauntered off.

Lily touched a hand to her cheek. A smile slowly bloomed across her face.

She wasn't completely sold about the extent to which the two took their praise. The theoretical work was often Dr. Tygan's after all, she just cobbled together the designs. And developed any practical improvement. And tweaked and fined tuned them…Ahem.

But from what she gathered, they all had reason to be rather miffed at the good Doctor right now.

A perfectly understandable and shared sentiment, as far as she was concerned.

But she still remembered that awful, horrible day when they had lost Samantha. When she had lost one of her best and oldest friends. She remembered crying so hard, when Robert had come, his sunglasses held in his hands and his very hair seeming to sag low onto his sorrowful brow, to break the news to her in person, claiming it was his fault. She'd told him that was rubbish immediately, sobbing into his chest as he held her for a long time, letting her empty the worst of her grief. Later, Nora and John had come to offer similar comfort.

And then, barely two weeks later, they'd lost Grelite. Admittedly she couldn't deny that she didn't know the man anywhere near as well, but it still stung her just as much as the others.

But now, to hear that something she had built with her own two hands had stopped it from happening to someone else? To be given tangible, still living proof that she was making progress, and that said progress was saving the lives of the people she cared about? And to be thanked so sincerely and warmly for it?

The smile bloomed brighter and her heart swelled, tears of a far less bitter sort welling up. Lily wiped her eyes with the back of her arm, then grabbed the shotgun off the table and headed off with a beaming smile still stuck on her face, intent on handing it back to Lieutenant Elfrank ASAP.

Time to get back to work.

* * *

Later that day, the Sniper Sisters headed to the gym to unwind from the range, and were treated to a singular scene. Bradford himself on the mats, doing sit ups. Beside him, a crimsoned-haired woman with a left-sided undercut did push-ups. They remembered she'd introduced herself a few days ago as Naomi "Gum Shoe" Russel, an honest-to-god Private Investigator (hat, trench coat and everything!) from one of the cities until AVENT ran her out of business, literally in this case.

According to her, the lost right eye she sported, usually covered by her sunglasses, was the result of fighting off six Jabbers (another name for Stunlancers) at once as she fled the city. SIX Jabbers. With just a revolver, a combat knife and her wits. Woman was good. And she'd doubtless make an awesome Ranger, hence her presence here. Nice to finally see some girl power in that corner. Maybe it might help keep the bone-heads in line. They both gave her a friendly wave that she returned between flexions.

And finally, tying up the rarity of this picture, Polo was there, fresh from his latest course of Leader Training and just starting a new round. Though right now, he was holding what appeared to be a grenade.

And seated before him was Tommy, bandaged but seemingly recovered enough for whatever it is they were doing, staring at the German Giant with rapt attention.

"This, my young Freund" Polo began, holding it up dramatically. "Is an explosive. Now as you well know, explosives are so much more than your tools or your weapons. They are your allies. Your comrades. Your damnation and salvation all rolled in one.

BUT! You must take care to keep hold over they and yourself, lest you be blown apart as surely as thy enemies. You must have the _STRENGTH_ and the _WILL_ , to _channel_ the explosive POWER bursting deep within your very HEART and SOUL. And once I am finished with you, your power shall be such as a **ROARING VOLCANO!** ARE YOU PREPARED, **_BOOM BRUDER?!_** "

"YES MY LORD!"

Jahana and Nora felt the proper course of action at this moment was to leave the two to their little drama. Even so, they couldn't help but chuckle.

A Brit and a German, bonding over explosives?

Somewhere, Winston Churchill was chuckling, Adolf Hitler was spitting in his grave, and Albert Einstein was laughing his ass off.

* * *

Just as they waltzed down the hallway, they both walked into Dr. Tygan, the man reading over a datapad in his hand.

"Any new science experiments that we should know about, Doc?" Nora asked with more than a smidge of sass.

"We've just completed the research necessary to construct what we have taken to calling the Shadow Chamber." Tygan reported, not glancing up. "And fortunately, Dr. Shen's estimates rate it as viable to begin construction immediately. So I will leave that in her capable hands, whilst my team and I begin the autopsy on the last Berserker unit you brought in."

"Yeesh, good luck with that. Least it can't smell as bad as a Faceless." Jahana muttered.

"Quite." A faint twitch at the corner of Tygan's lips as he finally looked up at them. "I do believe however, that I owe you all an apology."

Both women blinked, those words the last they expected.

"Dr. Shen's constant vigil over my research, my activities and myself is beginning to wear thin, true, but I am not so oblivious as to ignore that it is not without cause. If we are to succeed, we will all need to begin trusting one other. And yet, I fully recognize that I have committed an error that has endangered that prospect."

He sighed. "It is simply…difficult to readjust to the turns my work, and my life have taken since my eyes were opened to the truth about ADVENT. And while patient, I cannot claim to have ever been the easiest or the most open of men. However, I also recognize that that is little excuse.

So, I wish to apologize, to all of you, and extend my best pledge to ensure that it does happen again."

Two looked at him hard, then at each other, then back again as they let out slow breaths and nodded.

"Apology accepted."

* * *

"So…let me get this straight." Aeneas, freshly released from Medbay alongside Alex, asked of their newest engineer as all three men sat at the bar. "You were actually trying to contact us…via _smoke_ _signal?_ "

Rustam Bek smirked boldly, gesturing at himself. "And clearly succeeded, as you can see for yourselves."

"Man, you must have some brass on you." Aeneas asserted.

Rustam chuckled. "I should certainly hope not, else I'm likely to receive quite the nasty shock as I endeavor to clear out this ships bowels of its junk and refuse, all those loose, sparking power cords jumbled about. Although I must say, those Vargas and Di Angelo fellows make excellent company. Shame that Wolf woman got pulled over to begin work on that Shadow Chamber thingamajig."

"It's a shame they're all cooped up down there so often in the first place" Alex responded, taking a sip.

"Here, here." Rustam lifted his own glass.

* * *

Days later, it was time for a welcome new supply raid.

"Well, back in the saddle, back in the fire, as usual." Aeneas quipped as he grabbed hold of Grelite, the new auto-loader addition working in quite nicely. "Although I do have to say, the Ranger Representation I'm seeing does make me feel right at home."

"Right on, brother." Elfrank and Aeneas fist-bumped.

Naomi sighed good-naturedly, fully locked and loaded, hat, shades and cig all in place. Oh, and her sword and gun too. "Looks like I have my work cut out for me."

"You have _no_ idea." Jahana confirmed.

"Ouch." Luce and Tudor synced.

"I'm just getting warmed up. Axle isn't on the mission roster, and Nora's not coming with us, and we haven't had time to show Naomi the ropes, so I've got to pull triple-duty to keep you bone-heads in line and make sure you don't get yourselves killed. Though that goes for you two as well, just FYI."

"I'm sure we're shaking in our boots." Tudor deadpanned as he ascended the ramp, the rest of the guys following after him.

Jahana sighed, turning with a smile to the redheaded P.I. "You ready for this?"

Naomi lowered her shades as she smirked, the green of her good eye gleaming.

"Sweetheart, this is the stuff I _live for_."


	7. Flawless Victory, Flawed Victors

Once again, I can only barely begin to express my heartfelt thanks at all the support and praise this story has received in the short time since I went with a fancy and started it.

Biggest thanks go to:

Miss Julia Maluca for helping to provide me with some of my best ideas as well as alot of the push to actually get this story off the ground. Not to mention her awesome character, Jahana "Fire" Locksley. If you haven't yet checked out her Audio Diary for the character, go check it out, I highly recommend it, link to it available in my favorites. ;)

ironboy32 for telling Chris about my story, as well as Lord Godric of Gryffindor (Deus42) and Vince Vedici for helping pass out the word.

Chris himself for actually showing interest and praise in this little story of mine. Keep up the great work, man! And I'll keep up the fanwork!^^;)

And of course, last but most certainly far from least, great big Cheers and Warm Tidings to every single one of you have reviewed, followed, favorited or even just given my work the time of day, as well as All of Your Kin. Y'all are awesomesauce acesbombs.

And happily, I can report that, after this coming Monday, when I'll finally have turned in my last (late^^') assignements, I will officially be done with this term! That means a whole to do what I love (writing, if you couldn't tell^^ amongst many other things of course), as well as a (relatively) non-hectic period during the start of next term! So just bear with me for a little longer guys. ;) ^^

But now, I find myself needing to ask you guys, the readers, for a bit of help. Or rather, perspective definition, I should say.

See, starting with this chapter things are going to get a little...heavier, than you might expect from a series like this. Hell, maybe even just from the way I'd been doing things up to now.

But the fact of the matter is, I got to a certain point in this chapter, and told myself "Maybe a should split this one in two." My first thought was "Naw man, never divide your content unless you have a concrete reason for doing so."

...But I kinda _did_ have what I believe to be a good reason. Because, as I hope will avail itself to be the shared sentiment between you and I, had I **immediately** followed the later half of what you are about to see here with any sort of shenanigans or light-heartedness, I'm pretty sure the Mood Whiplash would have been so jarring as to cause a complete tonal clash within the chapter. So, hopefully it works out. Again, reviews are welcome and appreciated.^^

But to get to the point, beyond the swearing we've already had, my plans for the next few parts, starting with elements of this very one, are going to dip into some territories that will _probably_ warrant bumping this story up to M rating.

But that's the thing: I just don't know. In my time on this site, I've seen T ratings get away with some pretty heavy stuff, and I've seen M ratings put on things that were compartively tame. And the ratings guide is of little help to me. All in all, I just don't want to get this story flagged uneccessarily when I can avoid it.

I will say that, besides 'darker' or 'heavier', certain parts of what I hope to properly introduce in the near future are elements of a slightly more...well there's really no dancing around it, 'sensual' nature, shall we say. Again, I've witnessed conflicting examples of just what separates T from M in such scenarios.

So ultimately, my question to all of you reading is that, while you are hopefully leaving me with your lovely reviews/PMs, can those of you more experienced/understanding of this site's extended policies (or just plain common sense that I lack ^^') help me nail down this issue. And if for example, someway, somehow, the elements in THIS very chapter actually warrant an M rating already, please notify me ASAP. Thank you all in advance.

Phew! But enough talk! Let us have at the first part of my extended novelization of Episode 21: Learnings and Revelations!

 _ **Disclaimer:**_ I own nothing save my interpretation of events and the characters' personalities.

Enjoy! (I hope!)

 _ **Flawless Victory, Flawed Victors**_

* * *

"Woah…" Jahana murmured in quiet awe, gazing skyward, the crunch of snow underfoot as the squad cautiously trekked along an empty stretch of road through the cold Western U.S. Wilderness.

"You alright there Firefly?" Elfrank asked as they held up.

"Huh?" Bringing her gaze back down, Jahana saw that she her remark had garnered the entire squad's attention. She grew sheepish. "N-no yeah I'm fine it's just…I never really saw so many stars in the city, and it's just not the same most of the time on the Avenger. I mean… it's _beautiful_." Another gaze back up to the midnight-blue, star-streaked expanse, followed by a wistful sigh.

"Takes beauty to know it." Elfrank quipped, smirking privately.

Jahana snorted, unable to keep from grinning. "Okay, now you're just trying to flatter me, Bone-Head." She sobered some. "I kind of wish we could just take the time to enjoy it, you know? Along with some of the other places we wind up going. A sleeping bag by a campfire, something along those lines. That would be nice."

"Eh, I'm more of a city girl at heart." Naomi replied with a tip of her hat and a puff of her cig. She smiled back at Jahana. "But I definitely get where you're coming from, sweetheart."

"Could do without the cold though." Tudor muttered.

"Ha, what's wrong Chrome Dome?" Luce cackled "Not enough fur to keep you warm?" he continued as he patted his own ridiculous head of hair. "When I was a young'un back home in Sweden, ma pappy used to take me on trips to the north for the winter, an' I dived headfirst into the lakes to catch me own supper, wearin' nothin' but ma trusty Edwardian red and whites'!"

The squad took a moment to try and picture a younger Robert Luce (already a boggling concept to them) in an outdated red and white swimsuit, splattered in water with a fish held in both hands and another between his teeth.

Nary a beat later, they all burst out in uproarious laughter.

" _Meu Deus_ , old man!" Aeneas chortled in one of his rare dips into his native Portuguese.

"N- _Now_ do you see what I have to deal with on a near daily basis?" Jahana giggled out to Naomi.

"Oh _honey_ , you have my _deepest_ sympathies." The red-headed P.I. answered, pulling out her cigarette and covering her mouth as she snickered.

Luce turned on his heel back toward their destined AO, even as he smiled and chuckled into his mutton chops and 'stache. "Folks these days, got no respect for the classics…"

Finally, they came upon the outskirts of the halted convoy, the shiny black high-tech transports unmistakable.

"Alright people, time to go to work." Aeneas confirmed, and with that he dashed forward to begin his scouting.

"And by go to work, he means go to his death by being the first to rush in." Jahana explained to the new girl. Though by this point, it was half-hearted, and somewhat ruined by the small blithe smile that crept up. "But at least, with him and Infernal, you can trust that they know how to do wrong, _right_. And come home limping for Axle's now-customary "I told you so." Though at least in Pious' case, we're pretty sure he does it on purpose just to see her."

"Indeed." Tudor rumbled as he too moved forward.

"No kiddin'." Elfrank agreed as well.

"You're no better, Bone-Head. In fact, it's debatable which one of you is worse!"

"I know. But it's not _Axle's_ "I told you so" that I always make it back for." Daniel eye-smiled at her.

That effectively pulled the rug out from under whatever Jahana had been about to say, clamping her mouth shut as Naomi quirked her brows with a knowing smirk pulling at her lips.

Before anyone could add anything further, Tudor radioed in. "Enemies sighted. A Captain, a Sectoid and a pair of Stunlancers, all behind the armored van, to my ten o' clock.

"… _Nemaides_ spotting the enemies first?" Elfrank wondered. "What's the matter Pious, you having an off day?"

"Very funny Infernal." Aeneas responded dryly. "Move up into positions, we're going to need a lot of bang to kick off this party."

"Welp, time to dive right in." And with that said, Naomi sprinted forward to join Tudor behind his rock.

"You said it sister." Off went Jahana to secure her own position in full cover behind a pine three that offered sight down both halves of the road. She confirmed she was about to confirm vision on the sighted enemies, until she spied a very much unwelcome fifth addition. " _Fuck!_ "

"Firefly?"

"We've got a damn _snake_ in the mix too!"

" _Fuck._ "

"Exactly!"

"Uhm, little lost here." Naomi whispered privately to Tudor. "What's so big of a deal about one snake that has Fire and Infernal so bent out of shape?"

"The two of them have a shared… _distaste_ for Vipers." The big man answered. "Half of it is due to them being the root cause of quite a number of our woes in the past, particularly for Infernal. The other half is because they're the enemy unit that ends up dodging their shots most often, alongside those they have privately dubbed as "greased pole-dancers". That is to say, the Stunlancers."

"Ahhh, I see." Naomi nodded sympathetically. "Can't say I blame them, I haven't even had to tussle with Vipers nearly as often as you guys and I already hate them with a boiling passion, and do NOT get me started on the Jabbers..."

"Believe me, it's a sentiment shared by the vast majority of XCOM personnel, for multiple reasons. Welcome to the fold." Tudor finished with a chuckle.

Meanwhile, Elfrank made his way as stealthily as he could up to a lamppost to the right of the armored van the enemy group was behind.

Luce was the last to move up, ducking behind two chunks of a fallen tree as he muttered to himself "Ho boy, I can just tell this is going to be a _right_ hoot…"

Everyone shushed and laid low as they observed the Captain and both Stunlancers walk out from around the van into plain sight, the perfect kill zone. The Viper moved further north and out of sight. No update on the Sectoid.

"Everyone." Jahana whispered over the comms. "Get ready to give them a twenty-one gun welcome. I'm about to lockdown the area."

"Huh? Fire, what are you-"

"Guys just _trust_ me. _Please._ " Not begging. Merely asking for the chance to show just what she had learned, how far she had pushed herself to make sure her friends, her family, got back from each of these god-forsaken mission quick, safe and sound.

"I got your back, Firefly." Elfrank responded before Aeneas could, bracing himself for his shot.

"Ready when you are." Tudor affirmed.

"Rodger-doger, darlin'." Luce saluted.

"Impress us, sweetheart." Naomi teetered.

Seeing himself outvoted five to one (not that he would have ever voted against her had Locksley just explained herself beforehand), Aeneas sighed as he prepared himself as well. "Alright Fire, we start the show on your mark."

Thankful for their faith, Jahana lined up Critical, taking a deep breath just as the Captain and Lancers began moving again, even further into her killing field.

"Three, two, _one-_ "

Critical barked, and a velocity magnet round lanced into the Captain, punching past the armor and biting hard and deep.

That certainly got their attention, and as the Captain barked out past the blood bubbling up its throat, the scrambled to get to cover.

But they were waiting. And Locksley wasn't done.

Her second shot burst forward, sadly, the first Lancer lived up to its kind's reputation as greased pole-dancers, still somehow managing to dodge her high-velocity round.

Not even wasting the split-second to curse, Jahana tuned out the rest of the mess of noise and lights as she slammed out a third consecutive shot, this one arcing straight into the second Lancer, forcing it to trudge its way into cover.

She _did_ come out of her "battle-focus" in time to witness Tudor hose down the Captain with impunity, spoils of war dropping to the ground as it crumpled. Looks like the big guy finally got some of his mojo back.

Looking further, she saw that one Lancer, she couldn't tell the pair apart enough to say which was which, was grievously wounded while the other had naught a scratch.

And to muddy matters further, the Pinky and the Skank chose this moment to roll into the scene, the Sectoid behind the van, the Viper slightly farther behind.

 _Oh no you DON'T!_ Still far from finished, Jahana jammed a fresh clip into Critical, before drawing it back with her left hand as her right slung out her pistol, the mag round striking just too far to the left, denting the van inches from the Sectoid's face.

 _Calm. Focus. You can do this._ She breathed again, holstering her hand-cannon as she brought Critical back up. She could see the fangs in the Viper's maw gleam through her scope.

She pulled the trigger.

The high-caliber shot barreled through the Viper's skull, the scaly bitch flopping back dead as a doornail, maw still hanging open, forked tongue lolling loosely onto the cold asphalt.

"BOOYA! _Hell yeah!_ How do like _that_ , you hissing ass-bitches?!"

"She pops off four shots in the space of about as many seconds, plus a pistol shot, and _that's_ what she's happiest about?" Naomi chuckled. "Man she must really hate those things."

"WOOHOO! Nice shooting Firefly! Right in the kisser!"

"She's hardly alone." Tudor assented with a small laugh.

"Slick shootin', Darlin'!" Luce bellowed as he charged towards the unscathed Stunlancer. "Now it's time to show you a little wrestlin'!"

The hard-light blades of his Skulljack flashed out. He swung. And missed, the Lancer's reflexes just a smidge faster than the aging veteran's, but not quite enough to avoid receiving a nasty pair of scratches raked across its chest.

Luce tried to recover by following up with a volley, but the Lancer sprang into action, and the two descended into a messy, grappling CQC brawl. Somewhere in the struggle, Luce managed to get his shots off, but his weapon's stock, the spastic target and the awkward angles forced his first shot to miss, pulverizing the log the Lancer had been hiding behind, and the second one, of course, merely grazed the slippery bastard.

In a brief lull in the CQC, as both opponents stood panting, barely a foot apart from each other, Mag Cannon fire suddenly burst forward, shredding down the Lancer into paste.

"Nice moves for an old man." Tudor rumbled in his usual fashion from his new, closer cover. Though the trace of smug satisfaction in his tone was evident to those who knew him better. "But I think we'd all best be served by sticking with the big guns."

"Seriously Old Timer, that thing has been more trouble than it's worth since the day you got it!" Jahana groused. "It puts you in way to much risk to use it, you usually get hurt even when it _does_ work, and it _barely_ helps with you actually hacking anything at all, if your track record is anything to go by!"

"Sometimes you just have to put away the toys, boys." Naomi agreed, shifting over next to Elfrank as she lit up the remaining Lancer, blasting the hapless sod clean to smithereens, corpse somersaulting backwards to land in a heap. "Heh. Still got it."

"Nice one Gum Shoe." Daniel praised.

"Good shooting everyone. And Fire? Great work back there. What exactly was all of that?"

Jahana smiled. "The result of weeks and weeks of practice and field experience. Still need to work on split-second readjustment though. And I could use bigger magazines."

"We'll put in a word with Shen. For now, everyone stay sharp. We've still got a petrified Pinky and who knows what else to deal with."

Indeed, the Sectoid was appeared rooted in place at the sight of all four of its allies dropping like flies in the span of mere moments. Then, as if the spontaneous combustion of a nearby truck's cab for no reason the squad could discern was a signal of some sort, panic turned to desperation as it huddled forward behind some a quartet of old oil drums stacked within the road-dividers, and glowed garish purple as it reanimated the dead Captain's corpse like some demented puppet.

"Anyone else _never_ going to get over how they just _do_ _that?_ " Jahana nearly gagged.

"Yep." John agreed wholeheartedly. "Though to be fair, you should consider that a good sign. If we ever _did_ get used to it, I'd have to wonder how much more human than them we really are…"

"Bah, enough lollygaggin'!" Luce bellowed. "Just put 'em all right back where they belong!" His twin bursts of fire struck home, gouging the Sectoid's heart out of its tiny glowing chest as it slumped over the metal railing almost comically, the Zombie Captain resuming its rightful state of unmoving a second later, its strings cut. "In the ground, in case ya didn't take ma meanin'."

"Of course, because it was _so_ very unclear." Tudor deadpanned, electing to be the first to move up. He took the opportunity to hunker down near the spot where both the Captain and the Viper had been slain, collecting the loot that had fallen from the downed officer.

Now Tudor was no engineer or any sort of gear-head really. He'd been studying medicine in Britain when the aliens invaded after all. But even so, he could still vaguely hazard an educated guess as to what he was holding was, and as he did, a small smile curled behind his bandana. "Hey Fire. Got a present for you."

"Huh?" Jahana quizzed as she moved up to a rock a little behind Luce and parallel to the Ranger Trio's huddled position. "A present? What is it?"

"Think of it as a surprise for when we get back to base." Tudor responded smarmily.

"Oh _ha ha_." She drawled back. "Santa Claus you are _not_ , big guy. Not enough gut."

"Not enough _hair_ either, beard or otherwise." Daniel joined in as he and the other two rangers moved out.

Naomi hopped over to stand behind a makeshift barricade within the dividers, composed of a tree and a stack of tires. Daniel ducked behind another cluster of pines, close to the exploded truck.

And John chose to brace himself right up against its ruined chassis, whereupon he bore witness to a singular scene. A Muton and a pair of Sectoids of what appeared to be wooden, roadside homestead. They had presumably just exited, leaving the door swaying open as they marched away, behind the truck's flatbed and a stack of the supplies they were after, and out of John's optimal line of fire.

Such was the last thought on John's mind at the moment, however, as he looked as best he could through the cracked doorway. A cold feeling rose in his gut. Surely the aliens hadn't just gone in to ask for help repairing the convoy…

Then he saw it. It was just a glimpse, but just as the wind howling through the air drifted the door shut, he spotted a limp, scorched hand hidden behind it, blood pooled out underneath.

It was too small to be an adult's.

John "The Pious" Aeneas grit his teeth shut and swallowed down the bile and the bark that threatened to rise from his throat. Not a sound. They still hadn't seen them. And if told his squad right now, they'd go ballistic, get unfocused, and then they'd probably just end up being added to the bodies.

Forcing himself to turn away and push the sight from his mind for now, his jaw felt like lead as he radioed his team. "We've got a Muton and a pair of Sectoids, behind the supply truck. I've only got eyes on one Sectoid now, rest are obscured. Moving around to get better angle." He did just that, his steps feeling heavier than before.

Daniel took his cue to move up to John's just-vacated position. Luce scurried up to a closer tree, facing the direction John had indicated. Tudor moved over just a few feet, settling himself right next to Naomi behind the tree and tires. From there, everyone got ready to greet the terrible trio as they rounded the truck's bend.

And round they did, Muton first as expected. Luce fired first, shots going wide but still grazing the brute, and barely a beat later Tudor revved up and sprayed it down, tearing apart its armor and wounding it deep.

The three became alert with the typical roar and screeches, but astonishingly, chose to stay in position rather than engage. Either they were getting smarter, or they were scared. The latter sounded viscerally satisfying to the squad.

"Fire." Aeneas addressed the sniper "Think you can pull that hat trick of yours again to cover us?"

The click of a reloaded magazine was his answer. "Locked and loaded. Area on lockdown."

"Good. Rest of you, move up to engage." John sprinted just a few paces higher, behind a snapped tree trunk, getting sight back on all three hostiles and flanking them. They'd still yet to spot him, too focused on his approaching teammates.

 _Perfect._ His rage towards these three rising up, he fired at the Muton. His temper got the better of him though, his aim going wild, not even touching the brute. " _Porra!_ They've seen me!"

"I've got it." Tudor dashed out to park himself against the next lamppost, mere feet from a roaring fire, aimed high, and his grenade arced into the enemy's rear flank, atomizing the Muton into dust, blasting the Sectoids and their cover without even touching the supplies.

Tudor "Nemaides" Dumitrascu was _back_.

"Man you are on a _roll_ today big guy!" Daniel confirmed everyone's thoughts.

"Tough act to follow." Naomi added, and a sprint, hop and pop latter, one of the Sectoids' ass was grass, chewed up and spat out by Storm Gun shards. "But I think I'm managing." The P.I. chirped.

"Sweet nelly woman, that's what, two shots, two kills?! You sure you only got one good eye under those shades?" Luce exclaimed approvingly.

"Keep sweet-talking me like that and you might just get to see for yourself, Old Timer." The redhead teased.

"Oh. Uhm. Well." It truly was a momentous occasion that, for the first time since any of them could remember, Robert Luce had been struck speechless. In this case however…

" _Geeze, Gumshoe!_ " Jahana and Daniel chorused. "He's like almost twice your age!" The blond-braided sniper added further.

"So? Still in demonstrably great shape, and older just means more experienced."

"HAHAHA!" Luce erupted, having promptly recovered and then some. "A woman after my own heart! By Jove, you make the fire in this old ticker run roaring hot…"

"Stop. Talking. _Now._ " The other four synced pleadingly. Well, Jahana and Daniel anyway. John and Tudor were more exasperated than anything.

Naomi chuckled lowly in the back of her throat. "Kids these days, am I right?"

Luce looked like was about ready to sing Naomi an off-key serenade right then and there. Turns out that might have actually been the more productive thing to do at that point, as both of his bursts following a quick reload failed to hit the remaining Sectoid.

"I am seriously considering pleading my case to Command for a "No flirting, innuendoes, sex jokes or dirty talk during a mission" rule." Tudor groaned.

" _Pffft._ Good luck with _that._ " Daniel derided.

"Of course _you_ would say that."

"Guilty as charged." He conceded without shame. Getting back to business, he then ran along the side of the truck, intent on getting close enough to gun down the last Pinky.

But, Daniel "Infernal" Elfrank hadn't earned the title of "Death-Chasing Bone-Head" for nothing, and true to form, wound up overreaching and sticking his schlong in a hornets' nest.

The hornets in this instance being another one of those new Codex thingies and a pair of Troopers. They spotted him, of course, the Codex flipping and flickering in place as it let out its now-customary electronic howl as the three dove into for cover.

 _Well_ _ **shit.**_

Thankfully, another constant had developed in his life since he had set foot aboard the Avenger. And, right on cue, that constant and her rifle made themselves heard as a shot streaked from down far to slam right into the forward trooper, nailing him behind his cover.

"DAMNIT BONE-HEAD, HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU?!" His Guardian Angel's voice broke into his head, music to his ears despite (or perhaps because of…) the anger and volume.

He merely broke into a grin as he replied. "Thanks for the assist, Firefly."

"YOU ARE _NOT_ WELCOME! NOW JUST STAY ALIVE SO I CAN KILL YOU LATER!"

"Might need a bit more of your amazing help for that." He half-teased.

"TELL ME SOMETHING I _DON'T_ KNOW!"

"That I'm about to actually make your job easier?" Daniel ventured as he finally elected to chuck his grenade, blasting away the wounded Trooper and his cover. "Ta-da!"

"Oh _perfect._ That just leaves the other one at full health, the glowing alien data-lady, and the SECTOID YOU STILL HAVEN'T KILLED STARING YOU RIGHT IN THE FACE! Oh and, remind me, which one of us is the one carrying the flashbang again? Oh that's right! ME!"

"Then I guess it's a good thing I always have you watching over me, huh Angel Gun?" He finished with a cheerful flourish.

"OH YOU INSUFFERABLE LITTLE MOTHER-"

Before anyone else in the squad could even begin to try and interrupt, the Sectoid bravely chose to volunteer, trying to run around Daniel to no doubt shoot him in the back.

He barely even got a few _inches_ , before Locksley promptly turned his pink little cranium into mush.

"-FUCKER!"

"Thanks again for the save, Fire Angel." At this point, Daniel was unsure he could stop himself even if he wanted to. Which he did not.

At this point however, Jahana fully committed to the idea of 'Kill aliens now, choke dumbass later', and focusing like rarely before, fired _through the truck cab_ to hit the Codex. She couldn't really see the effects of her shot, but if the _big swirly purple bubble_ that plopped down over Naomi and Tudor was any indication, death probably wasn't one of them. Nor did she take the sudden appearance of a second Codex, albeit a more translucent looking one, as a good sign, either.

"Fire's getting worse here!" They all suddenly heard Tudor exclaim, the fire close to him appearing to flare higher in the violet storm.

"Well, you were the one complaining about the cold." Naomi muttered. "We've got to get out of this, _whatever_ this is. I feel… _wrong_ in here, plus our guns are jammed, and I can feel it getting worse, _fast!_ "

"Belay that! Trooper's got you in his sights!" John reminded. "Fire, take him out!"

Jahana tried to do just that, but the combination of distance, equal height and poor line of sight proved too much, and she missed. " _Shit!_ "

"Take a breather, Fire. You've done great." John tried to soothe quickly as he moved slightly up. "I guess I'm just going to have to try a more hands-on approach. The sort the Boom Brothers would be proud of, that is."

"Blast On, my friend." Tudor preached, uneasiness momentarily erased.

John's grenade sailed, and obliterated the nearest Codex…and nothing else.

"Huh…Could have sworn that would result in a bigger boom…"

"Patience." Tudor said.

Before the cab finally detonated in a roaring plume of pyre, crippling the Trooper, breaking his vigil, and disintegrating the couch (of all things!) he'd been crouched behind.

" _Witness._ " Tudor whispered fervently, the pyre reflecting off his round shades.

"He's all yours, Old Timer!" John signaled.

"Rodger!" And, with supreme focus, one burst was all it took for the veteran to drop the Trooper. "Nailed it!"

"See what happens when you don't let your other head distract you?" Tudor quipped.

"Snark later, get out of here _now!_ " Naomi barked as promptly did so.

Tudor was right behind her, landing in step right next to Daniel, the Skull Bros side-by-side.

"Looks like that broad's the only one left. Got me covered just in case?" Daniel asked.

"I and I strongly suspect Fire would much prefer if you simply let me finish it safely. But I've wisely chosen to abandon any hope that you might actually listen to either of us or anyone." Tudor sighed.

"Sweet, thanks brother!"

"BONE-HEAD, DON'T YOU DARE!"

Too late, off he went, sliding to a stop just a few yards in front of the Codex as he lined up his shot, the flames from the truck burnishing his armor a golden bronze as he squeezed the trigger, and Daniel racked up one more dead glowing yellow glitch lady under his belt.

"Status confirmed, all hostiles are down and the area is secure." Central chimed.

Silence finally gripped the area, only the howl of the wind and the roar of the many large fires audible, as he slowly turned back to his approaching teammates, shit-eating grin behind his bandana as he hoisted his boomstick over his shoulder.

"Fucking. _Flawless._ "

His response was a mixed bag of sighs and chuckles, and immediately he knew something was _horribly_ _wrong_ , like the Universe itself was out of balance. It only took a pico-second for it to hit him like someone had dropped the Avenger on his head.

His Fire Angel wasn't in his face screaming his head off and shaking him like a ragdoll.

"Firefly? Where are you?" He buzzed into the helmet with genuine worry. As soon as the same realization struck the rest, the all voiced similar queries into their comms.

"I'm fine." The flat monotone of the response utterly assured them of the contrary. "You might want to signal Command to send in shovels too though. Got some real war crime shit in the home next to the road."

Everyone blinked, except John who nearly slapped himself and swore under his breath, before they all raced back to join their friend.

They found her sitting on the porch, Critical laid beside her, starring into her gloved, now blood-covered hands with an unreadable expression.

"Stupid impulse." She said by way of start. "Thought, against all sense that, maybe just maybe one of them was still alive. Nope. Parents dead in the sitting. Little girl shot in the back as she ran. Plasma burns and blood loss. Not the worst way to go, but it's up there."

The others spat and swore, Daniel and Robert the loudest. But Jahana just stared straight at John.

"You saw it as you ran up here before, didn't you? When you spotted the three bastards who did this."

"…Yes."

"What the HELL, Pious?!" Daniel got right in John's face, fury showing more in his eyes than the rest of his scarfed face combined. "Why didn't you-"

"If I'd said anything, you'd all be acting like you are **right now!** _While we were still in the middle of fighting for our lives!_ " John roared right back. "It's my _job_ to make sure we finish the mission in one piece. And it's my damn fucking **_priority_** to do everything in my power to make sure you all make it home safe and alive! I missed a piss-easy shot on that Muton because I let myself slip up! How do you think any of you would have done?!

But now…" his voice fell back down as he stared at them all, sadness and grief finally allowed to show through. "Now we can finally pray, bury and mourn." He moved to enter the door. "Hope they don't mind a stranger praying for them in a language they don't understand."

"To souls more than any man, Pious," Naomi unexpectedly supplied, shades lowered, a cool, far-off look in her eye as she took a long drag of her cigarette, blowing the smoke out in a slow breath "It's the thought that counts."

Throughout it all and the Skyranger ride back, Jahana hadn't said another word.

* * *

The supplies acquired were mercifully worthwhile, but even Dr. Tygan knew better than to play the pragmatist amidst the sullen mood that had draped over most of the Avenger almost immediately after the Skyranger had touched back down, the mission and all its disturbing content spreading through the ship like the plague.

Jahana didn't care to hear any more about it right now. Instead, she found herself laying on top of the Avenger's outer deck, staring up at the luminescent moon and stars.

To think just hours ago the biggest thought on her mind was having a campfire underneath these things. She wondered, did that little girl enjoy camping with her parents? Fishing? Hiking?

 _Stop it. Thinking like that never helped you before, and it won't start now._

But she couldn't deny that things were different, _felt_ a whole lot different than they did back then. And all on account of a simple twist of fate that had landed her on this ship, amidst its oftentimes hare-brained but smart and kind Commander, and his odd bunch of soldiers.

 _And I'm one of these oddballs._ She thought with a small ghost of a smile, closing her eyes as the cool breeze played. Despite herself, she couldn't help but ponder as to how things would be different, what would be missing from her life if all of that had never happened.

"Jahana? /Firefly?" Chief amongst them were the pair that greeted her as she cracked her eyes back open, matching looks of concern on their faces. Heck, Daniel even had his helmet, bandana _and_ Warpaint off! _Huh. He really does look better without it._ She remarked privately as she took one of her rare chances to take in his simple-styled raven hair and bright blue eyes complementing his slightly tanned skin. A nice contrast to Nora's pink locks and bespectacled brown eyes as both sets stood abreast, gazing down at her with worry.

"Hey you two." She drawled with a lazy wave. "So what's the sitch on the haul we brought in?"

" _Riiight_ , because that's _exactly_ what you _actually_ care to hear about right now." Daniel drawled.

Jahana shrugged. "Frankly, I don't really care to hear about much right now, but you guys clearly came up here to talk about something."

"We came here to talk about _you_. _With_ you." Nora proclaimed, sitting next to Jahana on her left, Daniel laying himself down on her right.

Jahana took a brief glance to confirm that the two were very much looking at her and not up at the starry sky. Sighing, she sat up, both of them doing the same.

"Would you believe me if I said it's nothing and I'm fine?"

"Bull." "Shit." The two comboed together flawlessly, gazes never breaking from her.

"Heh. Worth a try."

"Why?" Nora pleaded to know, to understand.

Another sigh, Jahana rubbing her eyes with the roots of her thumbs.

"It's just…It's stupid and _dumb_ and doesn't help _anybody_ or _anything_ -" She cut herself off, taking a breath to try again. She knew at this point that they were never just going to let this drop until she caved.

More than that, she just wanted to tell someone. At least, a part of it. To tell _them_ , out of anyone else. Why, she couldn't quite grasp at the moment, but didn't care.

"Just…that could have been _me_."

From their stunned and stumped faces, she figured she might as well go for broke and explain.

"I was _nine_ when me and about a hundred others were ran out of Edam, guys. Twenty years ago, just after the aliens won and they started "tilling their new fields". And where most of us wound up after was…not the most homely of places.

I'll spare you the gory details, but suffice to say, it wasn't the 'nice' or the 'good' kids that ended up surviving the longest."

Nora already had her hand to her mouth, and Daniel's tightened in a grimace, but neither interrupted. Jahana had made passing mention once or twice about not exactly having the most traditional childhood, even by post-invasion standards. But this was the first time she went this deep, even to herself they wagered. Somewhere in the back of their minds, they were touched and honored that, on some level, Jahana trusted the both of them enough to finally just talk about it. But that could wait until they made sure she was okay.

Jahana didn't stop, too far gone to even think to herself about stopping, like some small spike whose sting had long since dulled was finally being pulled out of her.

"I-I did a lot of things I'm not proud of, never _going_ to be proud of, just so I could get to live another day, before I landed here on the Avenger.

And I guess we're finally getting to my point. That girl…She didn't look older than nine or ten. And I won't pretend like I know her or her parents or anyone of the bajillion people the alien fuckers have butchered. But from the pictures we saw around their house, it certainly looked like she had a pretty happy home, family and life.

And now she's dead. Just like that. Just because the Resistance just happened to cause that convoy to break down _just_ outside her house. And we were too slow to stop them."

"Jahana…" Nora started, both her and Daniel having a pretty good guess as to where this train of thought would head.

"I know, I know, that's not what I'm trying to say." She answered with a half-hearted hand wave. "All I mean is that…the sweet little girl who never hurt a fly with her family and her whole life ahead of her, who looked just like some of the other kids I used to know and…and 'did wrong by' is dead…and me, the ruthless, nobody, murdering, _street-rat_ _ **child-killer**_ …is still here, alive and kicking, surrounded by food, home and f- _friends,_ _ **family**_ …I don't think I'll _ever_ deserve."

Cracks finally began to show, and spread fast, tears spilling over in the blink of an eye as Jahana brought a hand to her face, hiccupping and squeezing her eyes shut as she hunched over, quaking from head to foot.

Neither quite knew what to follow such a heavy statement with, but Hell be fucked if they would let Jahana stay this way a second longer. They both settled a gentle hand on each of Jahana's shoulders, careful not to push too far too quickly.

The shaking seemed to calm down somewhat, and Jahana visibly struggled to reign herself in enough to finish through the sobbing hiccups, desperate that if she didn't now, she didn't know if she'd ever be able to.

"I-I-" Hard, halting breaths in an effort to get enough air to speak. "I'll never d-dare s-say that either of us had it b-better than the other. Sh- _shit_ , maybe I kinda wish we could have traded lives, then she could be a-alive like she deserves, and I could have at least lived the first few years of my life _happy_ and _simple_ before b-biting it.

B-but ulti-ultimately, I'm just left here thinking to myself…Just how things would be d-different… _if I'd never gotten to set foot on this ship._ "

Her piece finally done, Jahana let herself sag forward, intent on emptying out her remaining tears into her lap.

Or rather she would have, if two sets of arms hadn't wrapped around her from both sides, gently but firmly, drawing her back up into a caging embrace between her two equally teary-eyed friends.

Too distraught to stop herself, Jahana threw herself into the hug, finally emptying the storm in her heart into the Nora and Daniel's willing embrace, the two merely hugging them all tighter together as they buried their faces in each other's shoulders, crying into the others' comfort.

Sometime later, maybe minutes, maybe hours, the tears started to slow. Nora slowly let her hand drift down to squeeze Jahana's fingers between her own, holding tight as Daniel mirrored her on the other side.

"I…don't think any of us will ever know the answer to that, Jahana. I don't think anyone will. But, if there's one thing we do now, as sure and as true as the sky over our heads, is that…if you'd never gotten sent to this ship… we never would have gotten to meet you. And I for one can't even begin to imagine a life where that's the case anymore."

"D-damn straight." Daniel picked up, smile much more watery than usual. "And then who'd we have to set us straight when we're acting like goofs? Wh-when you're not joining in that is." He tried to laugh. "Or, who would you have to bring you back up when you're being mopey?"

"Maybe you did once used to be someone worse. Someone who did…all the things you say you had to. I don't know if I'd have been any different in your shoes." Nora admitted quietly. "And maybe that was even the same person who first set foot here on the Avenger."

She squeezed Jahana tighter. "But that's not the same person we're holding right now. The same person who's sweat, bled and cried more than half the people on this ship for others. Who's always looking out for us, laughing with us and living _with_ us.

Not the person you were. The person you've _become_. That you _chose_ to become." She looked Jahana straight in the eyes teary smile on her own face as her askew glasses made her eyes look even glassier than they already were.

"You're Jahana "Fire" Locksley. Proud and integral member of Menace 1-5, one half of the Sniper Sisters, Guardian Angel to your friends and Pulper of Alien Brains to you foes." Nora laid her head back on Jahana's shoulder "And one the best friends I've ever had in my life."

"…Really wish I was a poet right about now." The two women heard Daniel mutter as his head claimed the spot on Jahana's opposite shoulder. "But…what she said. Completely." He then gave a hum of apparent thought. "And the hottest woman I've ever had the blessing of meeting. In ALL senses of the word."

As if the world had gone mad, or just the three of them, they burst into an uproarious fit of mixed crying and laughing, falling over into a tangled heap, holding each other close as they eventually fell into exhausted slumber atop the Avenger's sky deck, under the bright silver and midnight sky.


	8. Flawless Victory, Flawed Victors Part 2

I am so, SO SORRY for being so dastardly late with this one guys! I meant to have this up by last tuesday, but things just kept getting in the way!

Funny story though. I split this chapter and the last one, first to avoid tonal clash, and second to make sure it wasn't too big.

And yet this, the second half, wound up being, not counting Author Notes, around 14,083 words. Almost _twice_ the lenght of the first half.

And incidently, demolishing the previous record held by Sunset Showdown for Longest Single Piece I've Ever Written Period.

SWEET. _**CHRIST.**_

And this one fought me, like really **brawled** with me the whole way through. I just hope I managed to tame this ungainly beast enough that it all works out.

I was half-tempted to split it again, but no. I refuse to divide a piece into **three,** not to mention I lacked a proper reason to do so this time, given the material here isn't _quite_ as harsh. Besides, it's not like you guys are likely to complain about more content, right?^^XD

Speaking of which, with the tally so far at 3 "Rank it up to be safe" and 1 "you're fine", you can see that I've officially cranked this story up to M. Though honestly, even without your invaluable opinions, I think by the end of this one, if not the very next one, I woul have done so anyway just to be safe.

Few more thanks to be given this time around!

 **dalseman** , a fellow fan of Chris and an absolute joy to chat with. She's the one in the comment sections of the episodes doing the hard work of keeping track of the soldiers' stat ratios. Mad Props to her. And dalseman? If you're reading this, the scene I mentionned to you is entirely just the first one, not any of the others. Cheers friend!^^

 **EtriusSierra (Dylan Walsh)** , for being real treat to discuss back and forth about both the playthrough and my story with. Rock on buddy!^^

 **darkpendalum** , creator of Dr. Desmond Pendulum, and author of the character's Journal Entries for the Episodes. His sadly aren't available here on this site, but they're usually pretty visible in the comment section. Awesome stuff! And he was grand enough to let me have his character show up in this story! Hope I did you justice man! Thanks a million!

and **pir84lyf** , also a fellow fan of Chris who apparently once had the same idea as me to do a fanfiction based on Odd's playthough! Small world eh? I think he should still try anyway, but it's totally up to him.^^ Cheers!

Well, can't really think of anything else at the moment. You know what that means!

 _ **Disclaimer:**_ I own nothing save my interpretation of events and the characters' personalities.

Well, _yes_ , but more importantly, it's finally time for me to let you enjoy part 2 of my novelization of episode 21: Learnings and Revelations!

 _ **Flawless Victory, Flawed Victors Part 2**_

* * *

Jahana was the first to have her eyes poked awake by the dawning sun. Groggily wondering since when her window let in so much sun, she tried to reach up to shield them, only to find both her arms trapped. Finally cracking open her eyelids, the first thing she was met with was pink.

No, not _mere_ pink. Bright, nearly neon fuchsia hair that pulled on violet, the usually smooth style more than a bit mussed, but nonetheless only possibly belonging to one single individual on all of planet Earth. Nora's sleeping face came into focus, glasses askew, eyelids fluttering, lips slightly parted, and all Jahana could think at that moment was: _Damn does she look adorable._ She then realized her, Nora's, and a third pair of arms were still haphazardly laced around each other.

Speaking of said third pair of arms, around the same time, she became _acutely_ aware of something – nope scratch that, still some _one_ poking into her back, along with faint, but definitely masculine snores coming from behind her.

One blink later, and the remembrance of who, what, where, when and why, as well as how surfaced past the morning's typical fogginess, wiping it clean away and leaving her frankly stunned with herself despite it all.

Just what _had_ been last night? One minute she'd been…well, she couldn't exactly say _brooding_ wasn't perfectly accurate, could she? And the next thing she knew she'd been pouring her heart out to two of her best friends, against her _supposed_ better judgement, and then they'd been hugging and crying together, comforting each other before falling asleep, tangled together underneath a starry sky.

It sounded like something out of a crude fairytale for children.

Jahana couldn't stop herself, she giggled madly, unsure why she found it funny.

But that's what she had been, on some level deep down, no? The lost little girl who'd been through and done terrible things, only to find her way to this wonderful ship and the people aboard it. Finding friends that she could finally say to herself in the mirror with a straight face that she truly, deeply cared about.

Only she wasn't a little girl anymore. She didn't think she'd been one since that burning night twenty years ago in Edam. She doubted little girls in fairytales drilled holes between targets' eyes from hundreds of meters away on a daily basis. Or that they'd been pushed to kill a number of their fellow orphans just to get here.

And if this was some crude fairytale, then it was far from over, and from here it certainly looked as though the ending would be bloody if not deadly. Certainly 'happy' wasn't exactly high on the list of likely outcomes, she had once thought.

Before arriving on this ship. Before meeting the Commander. Before meeting her squad. Before meeting the two people currently wrapped around her.

She was still here. She'd made her choice. She would continue to make her own choices. She could write her own ending to the story.

With the aliens' blood, and some generous help from their odd little family. Including a certain pair of currently sleeping artists.

Speaking of such, her giggling had the predictable effect of waking them up. Inches from her own, Nora's eyes drifted open, blinked once, before a cute little yawn stretched her maw open, breath faintly smelling of peppermint. (Where had she found _that_ , Jahana idly wondered)

"Morning Sleepyhead." Jahana smirked at her.

Nora finally seemed to join her in the land of the cognizant, snapping her mouth shut with that distinctive _bwop_ sound, blinking her gaze as she colored faintly.

"S-sorry."

"Hey, I'm hardly one to stand on morning manners."

"Ain't it the truth." The final part member of their little ménage chiming in. "Still remember that morning you socked me while I tried to fetch you for breakfast."

"I was _getting dressed_ , you ass! Don't talk about manners when you just barge into a lady's room like that!"

"Worth it."

Jahana took a deep breath of fresh morning air, secretly delighting Daniel who still had his arms around her.

"Daniel."

 _Oh boy._ Nora thought, suddenly alarmed for the man, thought for some reason she was the one fidgeting…

"Since you're finally awake, maybe you could get up and get that log off my back?"

"Log? Hoho, malady is feeling generous this morning!"

"Daniel, take it off or I'll _break_ it off!"

"With buns this steely, you could probably do it without turning around." Daniel agreed.

"Bone-Head, if you don't get up in two seconds, I'll SHOW you how generous I'm feeling by tossing you overboard! I mean it! With your hard head you'd probably just laugh it off!"

"Well to be fair, my hard head is directly both your faults in this case."

Nora _felt_ Jahana growl in the pit of her chest.

"Alright, alright." Daniel laughed as he promptly stood, turned on his heel and started strolling away. "See you two later, going to be needing a looong shower for this one!"

"Remind me why I haven't shot him yet." Jahana deadpanned at his retreating back.

"Because you not-so-secretly enjoy it?"

"…"

"By the way, could you get off of me too?"

"…Why?" She was trying to act coy, but if Jahana didn't know any better, she might have been hurt by the nonetheless sensible request.

"Jahana, muscle weighs more than fat, and aside from you being built like an Amazon…Your knee…"

Somehow only now registering the rest of her lower body, Jahana looked down to confirm that the three had gotten more entangled than she'd previously thought.

"WOAHMYGOD!" She leapt off of Nora as quickly as she dared, as if she'd been slapped. "I-I'm really sorry, I didn't feel, I mean I didn't mean-"

She was interrupted by Nora crumbling into snickers as she herself finally rose, dusting herself off and striding past Jahana, pausing to give a firm slap to the blonde sniper's thigh as she passed.

"Now who needs a cold shower?" She singsonged as she sprinted away.

"Oh you, _you_ – get back here you pink-haired she-devil!"

The merry chase the two let themselves on eventually ended in the mess hall, where they finally joined Daniel, hair still wet from his shower, along with the rest of their teammates.

John sent Nora and Daniel a look, gesturing with his head at Jahana, who was currently having an animated talk with Naomi. The two gave small smiles and simple nods, which he returned.

They were all going to be just fine.

* * *

Some later, Jahana, Nora and Polman were intercepted by Shen on their way back from the range.

"Oh Jahana! Perfect timing." Lily greeted with a smile.

Jahana raised a pierced eyebrow. "I didn't know we had an appointment."

"Well we don't, but we just got done with the new Spider Suit, and the Commander wanted me to have you try it out ASAP."

"Oooh, finally us girls get to try out some new toys." Jahana laughed, Nora giggling alongside her.

Minute later, the four were in the armory next to the hangar, Nora and Andrew were waiting in the waiting while Lily helped Jahana slip into the new suit just next door.

"Do you think it will make her look like an actual Spinne (spider)?" Andrew asked his pink haired colleague.

"Don't be silly. I mean, how impractical would that be?" Nora responded with a nonchalant hand wave "Plus, Lily would never make anything like that if she could help it. I'm sure that whatever it is, it'll look perfectly seeeeeee-…"

Nora's train of speech, and thought, visibly derailed as she turned her head towards the opening of a door to the armory, and in walked in a proud-looking Lily, followed by an equally-pleased looking Jahana, weapons strapped to her person as well.

The Spider Suit was far from bulky, as one would imagine. Small, light plates, customized to Jahana's colors curtesy of Lily of course, covered the pectoral and abdominal areas as well as the upper back, while segmented, rib-like metal bands sheathed Jahana's flanks from the hips up. Standard dark armor padding fitted over combat pants, though the boots and especially the knees were slightly more reinforced.

Her right forearm was sheathed in a sleek but sturdy-looking bracer that melded into her fingerless gloves. Her _left_ forearm however, was encased in a much bulkier gauntlet that Jahana was currently fiddling with childlike curiosity, allowing them to notice the sharp protrusion sticking out from the front. From the back of the device, a length of what they could only assume to be reinforced fiber cable snaked all the way up Jahana's bare arm, passing through an additional band-link mid-bicep, connecting and disappearing into a port on the cuirass' left shoulder.

And yes, Jahana's _bare_ arms. Not counting the bracer, gauntlet and band-link, the _entire_ rest of Jahana's gorgeously toned and tanned arms were on full display. Not even any shoulder pads!

None voiced much comment just yet, Polman intrigued, and Nora's face still slack and eyes wide.

"The Spider Suit will improve your chances of dodging an attack." Shen's chipper tone at her newest creation cut into their thoughts as she tapped away on a datapad. "While also providing increased agility and grappling capability."

 _That_ caused all head to snap towards her, even Nora joining back from lala-land.

" _Grappling?!_ "

"Of course!" the brainy brunette chirped, looking up with a grin "See for yourself. Manual activation is the main button at the bottom right of the faceplate, or you can use voice command. Then to retract up, clench your fist really tight. Finally, relax to release."

Jahana glanced back down at the device on her arm, gulped silently, closed her eyes with a deep breath, opened them with a determined expression, clicked the aforementioned button and pointed the tip at one of the hangar's cross-beams overhead.

Less than a second later, the spike ejected from the gauntlet with a light _bang_ , hooks jutting out from the sides, lances up towards the ceiling, and affixed itself firmly to the beam, the motorized mechanisms in the suit and gauntlet drawing the line taught in a beat.

Jahana took tested the line once, twice, took another deep breath, braced herself and clenched her fist. Suddenly she was zooming straight up through the air towards the ceiling.

" _Woahohoho!_ "

"Don't panic!" Lily yelled up. "I designed it for ease and safety of use!"

"Did your design account for deficiencies of the user, Fräulein?" Andrew queried quietly with a quirk of his scarred mouth.

"OH, YOU DID _NOT_ JUST START TALKING SMACK ABOUT ME, NEWBIE!"

Andrew promptly paled. "I did nicht realize she had such gut Gehör (hearing), especially in such a situation…"

"She's our _Sharpshooter_ , Mr. Polman." Lily laughed. "Kind of part of her job requirements. Best get used to it." She looked over to the third woman in the room. "Nora, nothing to add?"

No response, as Nora was gazing straight up at the Dutch Dame as she dangled, trying to get used to her new bearings.

"Nora?"

Still nothing.

Deciding to address more pressing matters first, Lily looked back up. "I think we can confirm the tensile strength and gripping efficiency, Jahana! You can jump down now!"

" _WHAT?!_ "

"You'll be perfectly fine! This is exactly why I upgraded the knee braces and structured the entire ensemble to completely negate all excess kinetic energy from impact! Plus it's not like you don't have all that Amazon muscle to cushion yourself in the 0.01% chance I miscalibrated …" Lily mumbled the last part to herself, fully aware that the sniper could hear her.

"THAT DOESN'T MAKE IT BETTER!"

"Oh just get down already will you?!"

 _Just get down, she says. I should just land on her head to cushion my fall, knock a bit more sense into it, and see how she likes it!_

Shoving such useless ranting thoughts out of her head, Jahana decided that if she was going to fall, she was going to fall with style.

Disengaging the grapple she weathered that awful moment in her chest right before when gravity, harsh mistress that she is, took full hold of her, and just as she plummeted to the last few feet of her descent, righted her stance to stick the perfect landing, neither her knee nor her hand even needing to touch the ground as she landed with a dull _thud_. Not missing a beat, she crouched into a firing stance, slinging out Critical from her back and taking aim at a point to the right. She held it for a moment, then got back up, feeling slightly giddy as she took in their impressed looks, Nora's continued transfixed look in particular.

"Nailed it."

"See, now was that so bad?" Lily said in that typical tone people used when they said that. You know, schoolteachers, moms, older sisters, that kind?

"Well _sorry_ , Turbo-Tinker." Jahana riposted breathlessly. "Even if it's from you, it's a little hard to have full confidence in something like this when you're afraid of heights!"

…

Lily nearly dropped the datapad in her hands, Andrew started as his brow quirked and Nora, ironically, finally seemed to blink out of whatever daydream she kept slipping in and out of, shaking her head before she resumed starring in a manner much more suited to the situation at hand.

"…Ex… _cuse me?_ " Lily halted out.

"I'm afraid of heights, ok! Maybe that's something I should have mentioned to the Commander before he made you go through the trouble to make this suit for me, I'm sorry!" Jahana rushed out as she glanced away, shifting from side to side as she rubbed her bare arms.

This time though, whatever reaction Nora would have had was soundly trumped by her incredulity and concern for her best friend.

"Jahana, how on this good green Earth can _you_ be afraid of _heights?_ Like Lily just said, you're our _sniper_. I've seen you clamber up to rooftops and elevated positions practically _every mission!_ Hell, every mission, we go to and return in, not to mention _rope down from_ , a _high-speed VTOL dropship!_ "

"That's _different_ , alright?!" Jahana snapped back.

" _Wie (how)?_ " Andrew jumped in.

Reigning herself back, Jahana exhaled explosively. "When we're out there, I've got too many way more important things to worry about than stupid heights. Like having you guys' backs, looking out for you, making sure you all get home alive and without a scratch. Like hell I'd just let some stupid little phobia keep me from doing my job right and keeping my friends safe.

And, when we're on the Skyranger, I don't need to be scared because…" A pause as she suddenly grew shy, clearing her throat "Because I'm surrounded by the people I trust the most, so what reason would I have to be scared?"

Another deep breath as she closed her eyes. "But here, with this thing? It's just me and this suit, holding me above a whole lot of nothing. And there's _no one_ I'd trust more to build something like this Lil'. But if I'm supposed to keep using it outside of combat, it's just going to take some getting used to, okay."

When several seconds ticked by without an answer, she cracked her eyes open to see both women standing in front of her, teary-eyed and lower lips quivering.

"W-what? What'd I say?"

She didn't get any further before both of them suddenly snared around her like a human straightjacket.

"We're so proud of you, Jahana. So proud, and so happy to know someone as strong as you." Nora mumbled.

"I promise I'll do my best that this suit or any that come after it never let you down." Lily vowed.

"R-really guys, it's no big deal!" Jahana fretted within the imprisoning embrace. "Polman, little help?"

"Und interrupt a bonding moment between drei (three) Frauen? _Torheit! (Foolishness!)_ Ich bin kein Verrückter! (I'm not a madman!)" _Or at least not as unverwüstlich (resilient/durable/tough) as Herr Polo…_

 _Oh, he is going to get it later._ The nerve of that newbie. First talking smack about her while she's hanging for her life, and now he just leaves her to the mercy of a warm and tender hug from two of her closest friends, the sensation soothing and energizing at the same time after just coming down from being the first to test-drive a sweet new piece of tech and…

…Why was she upset again?

"What perfect luck then, that we're coming up on an opportunity for you to start breaking that suit in."

All four heads turned to see the Commander stroll through the door, typical half-goofy smile in place and hands folded behind his back.

All three women sprang apart. "H-hello Commander!" Lily greeted. "We, uhm, didn't hear you come in."

"Oh I've been here since little after your little demonstration started. Like Herr Polman here, I simply possess more sense than to even think of interrupting."

"Jawohl, Kommandant! (Yes sir, Commander!)" Polman affirmed jovially as both men low-fived briefly.

 _Keep that up and the both of you are going to get high-fived across the face._ Was the simultaneous thought of the three ladies.

"Regardless, what I mean is that we are approaching what appears to be an abandoned post-invasion settlement. Scans show the area as devoid of life, but the main computer has triangulated likely locations of salvageable resources scattered throughout the structures. Surely the best training parkour to get used to your new equipment, Captain Locksley."

"…You want me, the sniper who you just learned is afraid of heights, to take a brand-new piece of valuable equipment, and go slinging across the decaying rooftops of a ghost town on a field trip to scrounge together whatever the last guys living out here were in too much of a hurry or too dead to take with them." Throughout her entire summation, Jahana's deadpan tone hadn't varied once.

"That's the spirit! Perhaps we should consider having you trained for Leadership alongside our dear German Giant?"

 _…_ _And the worst part is, I'm actually going to go through with it._ Jahana sighed.

Something seemed to click in the Commander's mind. "Oh but of course, what in Heaven's name made you think we'd be sending you by yourself? A full squad of you companions will of course be assigned to this task as well. NEVER would I ever suggest otherwise, please believe that if nothing else."

That…actually _did_ make her feel a whole lot better. And a bit shameful for even considering the thought of otherwise. The Commander had never done it before, what possible reason would he have to start now?

Or maybe it was just because this reminded her all-too-much of some of the "training exercises" they'd put her through in the Orphanage…

"Right then!" The Commander thankfully cut into her quickly darkening thoughts. "Resume business as usual, we'll send for those being deployed once we land."

Everyone nodded, shuffling off. As she passed him however, the Commander laid a hand on Jahana's shoulder.

"I also heard what you said earlier." He looked her right in the eyes, a soft, kind smile as he spoke. "I couldn't be more proud to have someone like you willing to follow me, Jahana. And your friends a very lucky to have you by their side. I hope I continue to prove worthy of all your faiths in me."

Jahana truly, genuinely smiled back. The Commander sometimes acted like a goofball, sometimes still made decisions that made no sense to anyone but himself, but it was in moments like this that she was reminded why, despite still being unsure of just where or what this "good fight" they were fighting was really amounting to, she had still decided to cast her lot in with this zany commander and this motley collection of a crew.

Though really, who was truly stranger? The Cuckoo Commander, or the oddballs that followed him?

"Thank you sir."

"Chris."

Jahana tilted her head.

"My full name is Christopher, but most of my friends call me Chris. You should get the chance to as well."

"…Do you…consider me your _friend?_ " She asked, tone indecipherable even to herself, the very sentence tasting weird on her tongue.

Chris laughed, patting her shoulder more firmly.

"Jahana, I consider you all _family._ "

With a final nod to her, he scurried off, leaving her standing there, stunned.

When she finally exited the hangar, Nora was there waiting up for her, and bore witness to Jahana wearing one of the most heartfelt smiles she'd ever seen on her blond-braided friend. It raised Nora's spirits just looking at it.

"Hey. What did the Commander want to talk to you about?" Unlike certain _others_ , Nora knew better than to eavesdrop.

"Nothing major. Might tell you later." Jahana answered airily. Before Nora could insist, Jahana rounded on her, smile stretching into a smirk. "Though that does remind me to ask: why _exactly_ were you giving me the stare throughout the whole demo?"

Instantly, Nora's mouth clamped shut for the second time that day, pink dusting her cheeks as all of a sudden she couldn't look Jahana in the eye.

"Er, uhm, well you see…I didn't really know what to expect, you know, and then you just walked out in it and…" Spontaneously, Nora's usual spine returned mid-sputter, raising her gaze back to meet Jahana's, stance set and hands on her hips. "Oh for Heaven's sake, we're both adults and women here, might as well get it out there before Danny-boy has a chance to."

A clearing of the throat, and then Nora's hand was on Jahana's bare arm, squeezing the bicep appreciatively. "You look really, _really hot_ in that suit, Jahana."

Jahana stared gobsmacked while Nora's face grew pinker by the second despite her set expression, before she erupted into giggles.

"N-now it all _makes sense!_ "

"Wh-what?" Nora sputtered again, withdrawing her hand shyly now.

" _No wonder_ you never tell Bone-Head off when he revs me up or flirts with me! You're just as bad as he is!"

"I-I AM NOT!" The pinkette squawked as her face sought to compete with a fresh cherry, pressing herself against a wall that she could have sworn was farther away before.

"Yes you are!" Jahana planted her hand next to Nora's head, leaning on her arm against the wall as she brought her smirking face inches from Nora's, and the second half of the Sniper Sisters found herself unable to look away from her partner's bright mahogany eyes.

"I bet you just wish you could peel me right out of this thing and 'smother me in pink'!"

"…"

"… _Ohmygod Nora!_ "

"I don't!" She returned defiantly... before slinking back down. "I just think you'd be perfect for my next sculpture after we finish the fighting…"

"So you just want to fondle me in effigy? And likely need a 'hands-on' impression to get the details right? Yipes, suddenly I think I'd feel safer with _Bone-Head_ watching my back!" Jahana cackled as she drew back, putting an extra swing in her hips as she sashayed down the hall, still tossing a smirk at the pink-haired, crimson-faced artist.

"Wa-wait a second, you're not actually going to tell him about all this are you? Or anyone?... _Jahana!_ "

* * *

"(Whistle) _Dayum_ , when did I die and get sent to the same Heaven as this gorgeous Fire Angel over here?" Daniel lavished, finally having his first proper once over of Jahana's new attire as the all grouped up to enter the site.

Daniel's wolf-whistle seemed to echo into the deserted streets of the abandoned settlement. Honestly, lacking any wooden building or tumbleweeds rolling in the eerie breeze, the place wouldn't have been a prime choice for those corny old spaghetti westerns, but it certainly held enough of the creep factor for a shot at a cheesy horror-flick. The waning light of the setting sun was _not_ helping.

"Save your breath, Bone-Head. Slick's already given me the whole nine yards." Jahana hadn't been able to stop smirking for an hour now. Behind them, the woman in question briefly colored again, but it quickly passed. She was _fairly_ certain Jahana wouldn't actually go into detail with Daniel, if for no other reason than both women were perfectly aware that they would NEVER hear the end of it.

"Well _duh_. Whole part of the reason me and Slick get along so well is because we both share the same exquisite tastes in the finer things. Art, beauty, and killing aliens!" Daniel happily exclaimed, holding back to sling an arm around the said woman, who couldn't help but crack a smile at the whole antic.

"It _is_ ein remarkable piece of Technologie." Polo had been granted a reprieve from his Leader Training ("Gott sei Dank!") on the grounds that this outing would serve to further said skills with a live exercise. "With it, we could literally rain down holy plasma and napalm from above on all who would deny Die Ruhm Des Explosive (The Glory of The Explosive)!" He continued with fervor in his voice and a gleam in his eye. "I wonder if ich could put forward a request for ein of mein own."

"A most glorious notion." Dumitrascu rumbled with a solemn nod. It was subtle, but the big guy definitely got more… _dramatic_ whenever he and Polo were put together. The two elder Boom Brothers, with their youngest convert/sibling still recovering from his almost fully healed wounds in the Medbay, alongside the still much more gravely wounded Skinner.

"I don't think even Tinker-Belle could make a suit with a grapple strong enough to lift _you_ towards the Heavens, Big Man." Daniel was quick to supply, for which everyone else save Tudor was grateful. "There's just too much awesome to even begin to move you someway other than your own power."

Above them, ROV-R (Rover), Lily's personal GREMLIN that was shadowing the group in order to record data on the Spider Suit's performance, beeped and blipped in what sounded like an indignant manner at the perceived slight of his mistress' abilities, but as none in the group shared Lily's affinity to seemingly understand him, he was summarily ignored.

"Wahrlich (Indeed)." Polo sighed "To be der Apostel von Boom (the Apostle of Boom) is sometime a heavy Belastung (burden) to bear, but one I uphold proudly."

"And we're all grateful fer yer tremendous sacrifice." Luce assured while barely restraining his snicker. The others fared little better.

Polman, the last of their larger-than-usual group, and as of yet the least in sync with the party's usual banter, was on point alongside Aeneas, Luce and Naomi, the first content to merely let the others chatter with a smile on his face, the latter two chatting amicably, as they leisurely trekked through the lifeless streets towards the supply coordinates.

Was it really so normal for everyone to be so…relaxed? Certainly, Andrew thought, between the nine of them they could handle anything that was too small to even appear on the Avenger's scanners, but still, he seemed to remember that X-COM's motto was supposed to be " _Vigilo Confido_ " ( _I am watchful. I am relied upon_ ).

"Is it always this zwanglos (relaxed/casual)?" He asked the red-armored captain and dark blue veteran.

"Zee-wang-loss? Speak the Queen's English son, we ain't one of our gaggle of Germanophonics." Robert answered with a nod to Polman himself, then Polo and Locksley.

"Germanophones." John corrected.

"Right, what I said."

"And for the record Old Timer, Fire is _Dutch_ , not German. There's a damn difference."

"I _know that_ , ya stiff! I just _also_ know she ain't ever needed a lick o' help talking to Kannibale or Slinger here!"

The reminder of such clicked something in a small, retreated part of John's mind. He _did_ remember that Locksley had never had any trouble understanding the German Giant, even way back on the very first time they'd all met during that fateful first mission, Operation Gatecrasher. _Or him,_ when he'd been praying in his native tongue and she'd poked light fun at him being 'overdramatic', having perfectly understood him.

A comprehension of German, Portuguese, he _assumed_ some fluency in Dutch at least, plus who knows what else, and yet she never actually spoke in anything other than English? The German at least was easily plausible, but the rest…

"Anyway." Luce's voice jarred him from his thoughts. "You were sayin', newbie?"

"Entschul- err sorry. I said, is it always this…loose, lax, relaxed?" Polman awkwardly attempted to clarify. He had since learned that Herr Polo apparently had a slightly more fluent grasp of the _lingua franca_ than he did. Chiefly, he suspected, on account of trying to bring his 'musical talent' over further to the West before alien extermination and explosives became his second callings.

And that's to say nothing of Frau Locksley. The woman spoke English so fluently she didn't even have an accent. Well, no _Germanic_ accent at any rate. How exactly does a Dutch woman somehow manage to end up speaking like she's from _Britain?_

Polman's extended family had taught it to him of course, but after trekking for so long, alone for the most part, he had grown a tad rusty.

John for his part, snorted. " _Nem fudendo_ _(no fucking way/not even by fuck)._ Usually were already neck-deep in guts and plasma by this point, but then they just do this _whilst_ we're getting shot at. It's just the way we roll, newbie. For better or worse. Stick around long enough, I can guaranty you'll start acting the same."

"I can personally attest to that." Naomi agreed with a tip of her hat.

"Eee-yup." Luce tossed in.

"That…sounds incredibly unprofessional."

Both Rangers and the Old-Timer burst into chuckles.

"Take a look around, _son_." Luce swept his arm all around, at the squad, and in the direction of the Avenger. "I dunno what picture you had in yer head about what ye were gonna find when you caught up to us," He continued, Polman having given the rest of the roster the abridged version of both his roots with and impetus for joining X-COM "but this isn't your family's old X-COM, _or_ mine. It's the X-COM we're both a part of _now_ , with the people who are still willing to fight _today_. An' if most of those people happen to be a bunch a quacks, then I say" Luce taped his temple at the root of the explosion he called his hair "the more the merrier!"

"Life's always more fun when you take a walk on the side of the wild and strange." Naomi affirmed, smiling around her cigarette.

"An' if ya can't have fun when yer tryin' ta liberate the planet from alien varmints, well then when the hell can ya?!" Luce finished with a theatrical flourish. Naomi applauded while John rolled his eyes.

"…Maybe at time where losing does not mean death?" Andrew attempted with a hesitant smile.

" _Meu Deus_ , a voice of _reason!_ Just how in the Hell did you get tangled up with us again?" John barked out laughing.

"Up yours, Choir Boys." The other two grumbled.

Finally, the group arrived in what passed for the center square of the settlement, just as empty if not feeling even more so, the low sun now painting the sky and deserted streets in evening hues.

Not so much depressing as it was melancholic, in this light. Like some old, austere tableau painted with noble brushes. Daniel had half a mind to whip out his sketchpad and start capturing the scene right then and there. Sadly, business came first.

"Ordnung (alright), from here we can gather everything in one go if we split up." Polo began issuing orders. "Meinself, Nemaides und Slinger will take the North. Pious, Gumshoe und Old Timer take the East. Schließlich (Last but not least), Fire, Infernal und Slick, the West. Grab everything you can find und carry at your coordinates, und we all meet back here in no more than ein hour."

A smart set-up. One of each of the present members of the First Four in each group, along with one more seasoned operative to further keep a handle on the two newbies.

Some might still have doubts that whatever Polo was being taught in that training was actually helping or at least if it was worth him being absent from the field so much, but once again, no one questioned that Polo was the right man for the job.

"Keine Fragen (questions)? Gut. Radios working?" Confirmation from all. "Roll out!" And with that final boomed order, the three trios fanned into their designated directions, Rover trailing after Locksley's group.

* * *

"Danke fur letting me tag along with you, Herr Kannibale."

"Kein Problem. I was thinking of having you in ein of the other groups as a team-building exercise, but Ich realized there is kein Punkt in deliberately putting you right off the bat with a group who cannot speak your language, and whose language you do not speak as well as they do. ABER! (HOWEVER!)"

The sudden raise in volume did not even phase Tudor, but caused Andrew to jump back even as they walked.

"We shall endeavor with all due effort to rectify this untenable state of affairs, once we return to das Schiff (the ship)! Ich bin certain that Schwester (Sister) Fire would be glad to aid us in whatever way she can, no matter how groß or klein (big or small)!"

"Ah, Ich war meaning to ask, wie exactly is it that Frau Fire speaks the way she does?"

Both Tudor _and_ Polo adopted confused expressions.

"I mean, she's from _Die Niederlande_ , ja? So wie is it that she speaks Englisch so well, und with einen _Britischen_ Akzent? Und I've never even heard her speak a word of Dutch."

Instantly, both larger men's expressions sobered.

While Nora and Daniel had not told them _everything_ , out of respect for Jahana telling everyone else in her own time, what they had told them coupled with what tidbits they already knew, as well as their own deductions, left it quite clear that, although she may have been born in Edam, Netherlands, she had quite evidently _not_ grown up there, and it had been _far_ from by choice.

"That mein Freund, is a question that is nicht our place to answer."

* * *

"So, I've got to say, _really_ liking this whole " _not_ getting shot at" shtick. Honestly think we should do it more often." Naomi lilted as her group approached their designated zone slowly but surely.

"Ha! Well darlin' wish I could say "ask an' ya shall receive" all serious like Preacher Man over here, but ta tell ya the truth, can't really say it's always going to be like this. Or ever again, frankly. Plus, tell ya honestly, we'd pro'bly get _bored_ right quick if this is all we ever got up to!"

"Speak for yourselves." John drawled. "I joined the fight to quell it, not stoke it. If it ever died down to a point where this became the new norm for us, I sure as Hell wouldn't be complaining."

"Aw come on Pious, where your sense of adventure?" Naomi tutted playfully.

John stopped to look her dead in the face, jaw set and eyes sharp.

"I lost it around the same time I lost two people close to me in the space of two weeks."

Naomi's face blanked immediately. "…I see."

"No, I don't think you do, and it has nothing to do with you only having one eye." He turned to face her fully.

"I saw a bright young woman with her whole life after this damn war ahead of her, _die screaming_ from poison as she _burned to death_. All while Senhor (Sir) Chuckles over here was singed and panicking.

I saw one of my best friends gunned down like and animal _right in front of me._

I've seen another of my oldest friends slowly get ground down by the weight placed on her shoulders, only to barely be spared being crushed by despair through the grace of those who believe in her.

And I've born terrible witness to the sheer level and scale of depravity the scourge we face is ready and willing to sink to, and is always worsening by the day. That family-killing, that _child-murder_ that you were so very much present for? _FAR_ from the worst the Aliens have done since this war started.

And throughout _ALL_ of this, I've had, and continue to need to be one of the practically extinct voices of reason in this band of screw-loose nitwits to make sure they don't get themselves killed, all while competing with lackadaisical greenhorns spewing suicidal garbage left and right, and the rest of our supposed veterans acting little better.

So you tell me, Senhorita Detetive Particular, where and why in the **_Maldito Inferno_** would I ever find anything FUN about any of this?"

The pregnant silence hung heavy upon the ghostly breeze whistling through the barren alleys.

"Although I do have to say:" John stepped even closer, close enough that he could smell the smoke of the tip of Naomi's cig as he fully bore down on her. "It certainly says something about _you_ , that you can even speak of such things after being personally present for such an atrocity. Finally crack after one too many crime scenes?"

"HEY, that's _enough!_ " Robert barked, hand clamping down roughly on John's shoulder, shoving him back a few inches.

"What's the matter Old Man? Scared of past sins come back to haunt you? Am I bringing up too many of your ghosts? Then maybe you should stop being in such a hurry to add to them." John sneered in a fit of black pique.

 _CRACK_

Robert suddenly felt John's shoulder torn from his grasp as Naomi cracked him upside the jaw, sending the red-clad captain spiraling away. He stumbled a few steps, hauling himself back up as he cradled a split lip and a gobsmacked expression, one that Robert shared as they both stared at the fuming redhead, fist still extended as she spat out her cigarette.

"Shut. Your. _Mouth_."

Not done, the P.I. grabbed John by the collar of his armor and spun him around, slamming him bodily against the side of an old building they had been passing. His head collided first, followed by her ramming her own against his so hard she might as well as have smashing him with a fist-sized block of lead, even through his helmet. Her snarling face was now barely an inch from his, the smell of smoke on her growling breath as her hat fell from her crown.

All of this happened lightning-fast but even in the infinitesimal pause, Robert somehow couldn't find it in himself to step in.

"You can talk down to me all you want, _Hell_ , I deserve a lot of it, considering what I said. But where _the flying fuck_ do you get off painting yourself as the victimized martyr here, talking shit about your _friends_? The people you _claim_ to be "the only one standing between them and oblivion"?

Like you're the only one who ever thinks, like you're _always right_ and the others are just too stupid to follow your _perfect_ orders, to understand why you hide things and lie to their faces 'for their own good', like you're the only one who knows what's best for everyone, like it's always _someone else's fault_ when things go wrong, even though you always go on and on about how it's _your_ responsibility!

Get **the fuck** _over yourself_ you whiny little **_CUNT!_** "

Even Naomi's sizeable lungs (surprising, given her habits) had to run out of steam eventually, her hot breaths feeling scorching on John's face as her burning steel-grey eye kept his own gaze pinned in place as surely as his body.

"And you know what? I find a lot of this pretty _fucking_ _ **rich**_ , coming from the guy who's pretty much Axle's Most Frequent Patient!

You want people to listen to you? First try treating them less like circus animals and more like your _partners! Your_ _ **family**_ , like I keep hearing tossed around left and right in this crazy band of misfits!

But you know what's ironic? The only one I've seen act less like an older brother and more like an insufferable jackass in the entire time I've been here, is YOU, Mr. Holier-Than-Thou!

You've had it rough, but newsflash! So has _everyone else onboard_ that damn ship, who were all right beside you the ENTIRE time! Or does that twisted little mind of yours also think you're the only one who's _'really'_ hurting, who feels the pain that this whole goddamn mess just keeps piling on? Because if you do…"

She dropped him abruptly, letting him slump to the ground, turning on her heel and storming off down the rest of their path, snatching up her hat as she went.

"You're even blinder than I am."

John slowly picked himself up into a kneeling position. Taking slow, deep breaths to clear his bearings, he idly took note of the strange shape of the shadow cast in front of him by the dying light. Looking up, he finally noticed that the building he'd been brutally sermoned against had at one point served as a church of sorts to whomever had been here before, the cross atop the gutted roof worn but still standing tall.

John hung his head low.

 _…_ _Forgive me Lord, for I have sinned with Pride, and spat in the faces of those who held their faith in me…_

A hand held itself out before his lowered gaze, open and palm facing him. He raised his eyes to meet Luce's, a small, sober but genuine quirk tugging at the corner of the older veteran's mouth.

"I might not be the most learned fella in the words o' the ol' Good Book, but one part I got tossed at me often enough that I thought was worth lettin' stick went somethin' like: "Ta err is human. Ta forgive, divine."

* * *

"Whohoo! You go, Spider-Woman!"

"Sh-shut it Bone-Head! I wonder how funny you'd find this if _you_ were the one up here doing it!"

"Well then I guess it's a good thing I'm not! I mean I certainly wouldn't be look as fabulous doing it!"

Nora sighed at the two's continued routine. A little was in towards their objective, Rover had begun beeping insistently, bumping up against Jahana's shoulder. Clearly, the little droid sought to remind her what the secondary objective of this outing was.

So with a resigned sigh, Jahana had geared psyched herself up, glancing back and forth between the exposed beam of an overhead ledge and her friends, who both gave her encouraging thumbs-up, exhaled, and flew up.

Things had been all fine and dandy…until she'd looked back down to them. Now she was currently standing stock still on the beam, gyrating haphazardly as she tried her damned best to keep her balance like some sort of jointed gargoyle.

Meanwhile, Rover hovered seemingly without care next to Jahana, the lights and bleeps of his recordings not really helping the woman's nerves.

"Fire, it's going to be okay!" Nora attempted. "You're not even _that_ high up, just about 15 meters!" (About a little more than 4.5 stories)

"AND ANYTHING ABOVE 7 IS ALREADY POTENTIALLY FATAL IN MOST CASES!"

Both on the ground paused. That was…a scarily specific piece of information. Nora shook it off.

"That's if you weren't wearing that Suit! I mean hell, our _standard_ armor is designed to let us land from heights like that!"

"If you fall on your feet." Daniel chimed "So just don't go trying any fancy pirouettes on your way down, 'kay Fire Angel? Just glide and float like the Firefly we all know you are if you don't wanna go splat."

The vertigo suddenly surged up from Jahana's guts, through her heart and slammed into her brain with a vengeance. She abruptly dropped down on her stomach, wrapping her limbs around the beam, hugging herself to it tight as she squeezed her eyes shut and hid her face away, shaking from head to foot.

Nora jabbed her elbow into Daniel's ribs as hard their armor would allow.

" _Not. Helping._ " Nora hissed at him.

"Alright, let's try this." Daniel turned back towards their tetanized companion. "Okay, let's not even think about down just yet, alright? Instead, try focusing on going up and over. See that other ledge just a bit higher over there? Try swinging directly to it!"

Jahana peeked over at where he was pointing, still not loosening her grip.

"Don't worry, I'll catch you on the _very_ off chance you fall!"

" _…_ _Promise?_ "

Daniel and Nora couldn't help but blink. They had _never_ heard a tone so weak and tiny come out of Jahana before.

But to Daniel, it only reinforced what he said next, steel in his spine and fire in his heart.

"I promise, Jahana."

Any other situation, and Nora would have had to berate him for the breach of operational protocols. As it was, she privately told said protocols to go fuck themselves.

The shaking finally seemed to die down, and they could see as Jahana took several visible breaths, before slowly uncurling her left arm and aiming it at her target. She loosened the rest of herself just enough, mumbled the words, and it fired.

The hook stuck without any issue. She tugged, tested the length a few times. Shakily she looked back down at them. They both nodded with as encouraging smiles as they could muster. Sighing explosively, she nodded back, and clenched her fist.

She fought to hold back the scream as the world whizzed by her, only to come to an abrupt halt as she smacked bodily into the bottom of the ledge. But she still managed to grip her hands on the edge. She promptly scrambled up, throwing herself over the ledge and on to blissful solid roof.

Or at least, it had once been solid. Sadly, decay and neglect had about the effects one should have expected, causing it to cave right underneath her. This time, she didn't hold back her scream.

She curled into herself as best she could, shutting her eyes and bracing for the pain, the _crack_ as she slammed onto her back, the sting as she rolled on the ground in agony, the harsh barks as they stormed up and hauled her to her feet despite her wails…

Instead all she heard was the splintering of wood and the clink of metal against metal, and all she felt was a lurch as whatever she landed on bounced her up slightly before she came to rest in a pair of rail-like supports.

"I _knew_ all that street-rugby practice would come in handy one day."

She couldn't mistake that voice for the old ones even if she tried. She dared open her eyes.

The splintering of wood, the sound as someone had barreled through the building's rotting door at full tilt. The clink, the sound of armors shocking against each other. And the rails weren't rails, but Daniel's strong arms as he held her close, blue eyes wedged between helmet and bandana, focused solely on her.

"My best catch yet though, gotta say. Probably the best I'll ever make."

"…You caught me."

She felt the chuckle rumble in his chest as his eyes twinkled.

"Well _duh_. I might be a Death-Chasing Bone-Head, but if there's one thing Daniel "Infernal" Elfrank _never_ does, it's break a promise."

She stared back for a few silent moments, before her face broke into a heartfelt smile.

"Thanks for the save, Daniel."

"Ah, sure feels like Opposite Day, me getting that from you, ha! I figure a few more dozen times, and we should be even. Though _please_ , don't go hurling yourself from heights on my account."

"…Did _you_ just tell me to be _careful_?"

They both shared the laugh. It completely escaped them that Daniel had yet to put Jahana down.

"Althooough…" Daniel drawled with a droll smile beneath his bandana as he jostled Jahana lightly "Under the current circumstances…does the dashing hero get a reward for saving his dear Lady?"

He'd meant it in jest. He half-expected her to slap him, jump out of his arms shouting, something along those lines.

What he didn't expect was for her to reach up, pull down his bandana and lay a proper smooch square on his white-painted cheek. It was a wonder he didn't drop her in surprise as she pulled back, uncaring of her whitened lips, eyes coquettishly alight.

"Will that do?" She chirped as she patted that same cheek, smearing the Warpaint further with her thumb.

Now it was Daniel's turn to play the gargoyle, frozen stiff at the touch.

" _Ahem._ "

Both snapped to Nora standing in the ruined doorway, leaning on her elbow with her smirking face rested on her hand with the other on her hip. Rover floated behind her, his optic sensors clicking away obliviously at the scene.

"Shall I get the spaghetti and violin, or are you two more the picnic at sunset types?"

Jahana merely scoffed playfully. "This from the randy broad who wants to feel me up and sculpt a statue in my image."

Instantly Nora's teasing demeanor crumbled to dust. " _Jahana!_ "

"Woah, what?!" Daniel came out of his trance with a dopey grin on his now unmasked face. "Tell me more, oh beautiful Angel of mine!"

"Well you see Danny-boy, earlier today-"

" _Lies! Bloody lies!_ " Nora squeaked as she ran up to try and cover Jahana's mouth, and the three devolved into some peculiar game of keep away as Daniel swung Jahana to-and-fro to keep her out of Nora's reach while trying to listen to what his Firefly was trying to say between both their laughs and Nora's yelps.

* * *

"Mission abgeschlossen (accomplished)?" Polo called out as his team and Locksley met back up, supplies hefted over their shoulders.

Though he did have to wonder, why did Daniel and Jahana look so positively chipper, and why was Nora so pink in the face?

"Yep. Wasn't so hard once we stopped dicking around with this thing." Jahana tapped a finger against her grapple-gauntlet. "I just knew trying to use it without getting some experience in an actual combat scenario was a bad – _What the Hell happened to_ you _?_ "

The object of her outburst was the sight of John's group walking into the square with their own share, and more specifically John's busted lip, despite site scans supposedly declaring the area devoid of life.

Jahana dropped the supplies and was on him. "I _swear_ Pious, are you really that incapable of going a single mission without needing Axle to touch you up? Or are Nemaides and Infernal _actually_ on to something when they keep saying you do this on purpose just to get to see her?"

"Called it." Both Skull Bros in question chorused as they high-fived.

"Seriously though Cap, there _are_ less dangerous kinds of foreplay, you know?" Daniel added.

"Like constantly getting in over your head and having the object of your attentions constantly need to bail you out and chew your ear off afterward?" Tudor deadpanned.

"Naw man, that's just personal preference. And _you're_ just jellin'." Daniel shot back confidently.

"Did you encounter den Feind (the enemy)?" Polman asked nervously.

"No…I merely required some sense knocked into me to set me straight again." John answered quietly with as much grace as he could muster.

Jahana and most of the others blinked. "Wow. Wish I could really say I feel for you, but I'm glad somebody finally tried. Nice going Old Timer."

"Wasn't me." Luce denied.

All eyes turned to the redheaded P.I., who was rubbing her hand and grumbling under her breath, fresh cigarette alight and hat in proper place.

"What?" She asked when she finally noticed.

Both her arms abruptly found themselves grabbed by the Sniper Sisters, intense looks in their eyes.

"Back to the ship. Details. _Stat_."

Polo sighed, far too used to his friends' antics to be phased whatsoever, quietly radioing in for pickup.

* * *

"So that's the long and short of it. You feel I went too far, go ahead and say it. I'm already feeling sheepish about it." Naomi finished her retelling, knocking back the last of her glass as most of the away team minus Aeneas sat around the bar, most of them without drinks as they listened intently.

"…Well I can't exactly jump for joy at the thought of you beating the crap out of one of my oldest buds on this ship. But from what hopped up crap Johnny dearest was spewing, I can say I probably would have done the same in your place. Maybe even worse." Jahana declared softly.

"Ditto." Nora piped.

"Bah, everyone has ta vent and blow off a little steam once in a while. Didn't much like hearing it either, but ain't about to lose any more sleep over it." Luce tried half-heartedly to wave off. "Plus, even I gotta admit, he ain't completely without a point."

" _Nein._ " Polo grunted strongly. "Entschuldigung, but there is ein difference between blowing off steam, or even having a point, und needlessly trying to break down ein comrade's spirits. Myself, Morberis und Jahana have been ein integral part in this endeavor for just as long as he, und yet you don't see any of us act so destructively. He was far out of line. I for one bear you no ill will, Fräulein."

Naomi smiled lightly, tipping her hat. "That means a goddamn lot coming from you, Big Man."

"Wahrlich (Indeed)." Andrew threw in his two cents in support of her "When Ich mentioned ein certain lack of professionalism, I certainly nicht meant to say we we're lacking in veteran soldiers acting like hard-headed Esel (donkeys)."

"Come on guys." Daniel tried to play the devil's (for a **_very_** loose definition of devil in this case) advocate. "Sure, it sucks, but are we really just going to like, never speak to him again over this?"

" _Of course not_ , don't be _stupid_." Tudor countered without rancor. "But it does raise the question as to what we're to do or say about it, if anything at all. Where is the bugger anyway?"

Jahana barked a mirthless laugh. "Where _else_ do you find Honey-Blond, Tanned and Red-Clad after _any_ sort of mission? I swear…"

Tudor blinked behind his shades, only to give a small smile as his mind ticked up. "Ahh. Then I believe we have little to worry about."

* * *

Lucia "Axle" Wind hummed tunelessly to herself as she surveyed her place of work.

What could she say? Sirs Skinner and Andromeda might still be occupants of the Medbay at the moment, but they were both on the mend, Tom in particular, and the fact that the away team had miraculously returned from the last supply raid _unharmed_ (Yes, even John and Elfrank!), a notion that threatened to send her heart aflutter in and of itself, meant that they were the _only_ occupants, and both currently sleeping like logs.

All in all, it had been a good few last days, all things considered.

"Olá Lucia."

The woman nearly leapt out of her skin, stifling a yelp as she turned around to spot a very familiar form in red fatigues.

"Good Heavens John, you startled me." A hand went to her chest as she laughed breathlessly at herself. "I'm sorry, it's not usually this quiet in here and – _What on Earth happened?!_ " She had enough professionalism to turn her erstwhile shout into a stage-whisper at the sight of John's bloodied mouth and chin, some of it already dried and crusted in his beard.

"Just got back from rounding up supplies from that abandoned settlement." He responded vaguely in a tone far softer than what she was used to from him.

Even as she heaved a long-suffering sigh and massaged her temples, Axle couldn't help but laugh internally at the deliriously absurd irony of it all. A full on supply raid against sizeable enemy forces, and he walks away without a scratch. But a simple pick-up job, and he comes back with a busted face?

"Alright, just sit down on your bed and let me take a look at it."

John complied wordlessly, eyes unfocusedly starring away.

 _That_ was enough to set off warning bells in her head. John was _never_ this quick to accept her judgement or treatment, no matter HOW quick, easy and painless she promised or how truly grave and potentially life-threatening she sternly assured him it was.

"What happened?"

"Nothing."

Ah, now _this_ was decidedly much more familiar territory, she mused. Still, first thing's first as she calmly began the process of cleaning and disinfecting the site and the wound.

"…This isn't from a blade or you smacking yourself on a rock, John. Someone punched it into your teeth. And since your head isn't caved in and still attached to your shoulders, I can assume it wasn't Mayu or Jahana."

 _There_ it was, some small spark of the usual twinkle his eyes spontaneously sported whenever he walked in to see her.

"…Russle…"

Axle stared. Then, unable to help herself, let out a small giggle.

"You mean little new Naomi? _Sweet Lord Above_ , John. Are you _simply_ _ **incapable**_ of not making _every single woman you meet_ want to punch you in the face at some point?"

This time they both shared a brief laugh, though John's was much smaller and ended quicker.

"Yeah, well…this time I can't in good conscience say I didn't fully deserve it."

"…And just _what_ , pray tell, is _that_ supposed to mean?" Axle questioned with her trademark doctoral sternness.

John paused for a moment. In truth, this had been part of the reason for his coming here. A sort of personal confession for himself. To hear what Lucia of all people would have to say would either lift him or more likely crush him, but he had a feeling he'd be completely unable to sleep even a wink, tonight or any night after, without hearing it first.

So he told her, down to every last word and detail, what had happened, what he had said, all the wrong that he had committed both in the last few months and the space of the past two hours.

Throughout it all, Axle had just stood there, listening patiently as she continued to fully treat the wound, with much more care and effort than it frankly needed at this point, if she was to be honest with herself.

By the time he was done, so was she, the silence letting itself hang between the two.

"…The others will probably forgive me after a few jabs and snarks." John admitted. "But how can I do the same, Lucia? How can I ever again ask others to put faith in me, when I never truly put my own faith in them, and spat in the face of everything we've-"

"Stop."

He was jarred from his morose musings as Lucia's amber eyes bored into his leafy green ones, the raven hair of her half-shaved undercut framing her face on one side, granting her a rather severe visage as she stared him down.

"One of the people you claim to have lacked faith in is myself, John. And speaking for myself, as is all one can ever really do, allow me to tell you: I have certainly observed no such thing. Why then would you constantly keep coming here, seeking my council even when you honestly had a choice not to?

And if you honestly had lacked faith in those of your squad, then I think it's safe to assume that none of you or perhaps even any of us would still be here right now.

So you slipped up, you cracked, you said things that you never should have said and never wanted to say. You made mistakes. As dear old Robert already quite rightly told you, that just makes you human, not a monster.

I won't say that Miss Russle was entirely out of bounds for finally knocking some sense into that fat head of yours. If anything, I feel like I ought to applaud her for it. But I can say that what _you_ need to do, Sir John Aeneas," She strongly prodded his shoulder with her index "is to stop acting like the weight of the world is squarely on your shoulders alone.

Goodness knows Herr Polo has shoulders wide enough to share quite a bit of the load. I don't think I need to bring up how well Jahana does at her physicals. Robert is the soul of experience himself.

I could continue my metaphorical listing of the rest of the crew manifest for the entire ship John, but where I'm getting at is:"

Lucia laced her svelte hands around John's larger ones, his sun-kissed skin contrasting with her much lighter tone.

"Don't try to fix things, make them better with just your own two hands. Stop trying to get hurt, _being_ hurt, on others' behalf. Share the pain and the burden with those who care." Her expression finally softened. "I for one am ready and willing to, if you'd finally let me."

A much more palatable silence filled the Medbay this time. Slowly, John stood from the bed, drawing himself up to his height, Lucia's eyes level with his chin, as he continued to hold her amber gaze.

Slowly, as if he himself could barely believe what he was doing, he released Lucia's hands, ghosting his own up her arms to cup her face as gently as he could. During none of this did she try to stop him.

When he bravely, finally leaned in, she didn't do the same to meet him, but the moment his rough, coarse lips brushed her much smoother and silkier ones, she slinked her arms up around his neck, and responded with equal fervor.

In a silent signal, they stepped closer, John slipping one hand to the small of her back, the other behind her head, and Lucia hugged herself closer to him, the both of them tilting their head to press the kiss deeper.

Finally after two solid minutes, the two parted for a breath, brows still pressed together.

"Hmm." Lucia hummed. "I do good work. Don't even taste any blood."

The pair laughed into their next kiss with renewed effort.

Oblivious to everything but each other, they never noticed as a skull-clad head peaked around the Medbay entrance.

Being the stealthiest (such as he was) of the roster after John, Daniel had volunteered (or been volunteered, depending on who you asked), to take a sit rep of where' John's head was currently at, and he could now safely report that Axle had the situation well in hand.

Or they had each other well in hand. It was becoming difficult to tell at this point as each one's fingers began roaming over their partner's body.

 _Good on ya Cap._ Daniel smiled, then it turned into a small grin. _The others are never going to believe this. Or they will, the teasing will just never stop. Of course, I fully intend to participate._

With a mental snicker, the street-artist quietly turned on his heel to report his finding to the team.

They were going to be just fine.

* * *

The next few days passed without much of note.

John had gone up to the others first thing the following morning. No excuses were given, or more accurately none that the squad cared to hear, apologies were said, and by the end of it all it couldn't quite be said that the whole thing was already water under the bridge, but fences had definitely been mended for the largest part.

Of course, with that out of the way, next inevitably came the new hottest topic in the room: Him and Axle. To John's credit, he weathered it all much better than most others would have in his position.

(No one dared bring it up with Axle herself. Who in their right mind would dare rile up the woman who could one day decide whether you lived or died? Or more immediately, who decided just how "pleasant" their check-ups actually wound up being?)

He had almost _immediately_ needed to smack the rumor that they had 'slipped between the sheets right then and there' out of the air. Tommy and Skinner had still been there, liable to wake up any moment, for Christ's Sake!

"So you would have gone at it if the Medbay had been empty?" " _Não!_ "

Bradford had expressed his mild concern about the potential fallout of the whole affair, but the Commander's executive opinion had been surprisingly passionate.

"Every day our people remind themselves of just what and who they're out here fighting for. How can it ever do harm, if that certain someone just happily happens to be a little closer to home than usual?" And that had been the end of that Command meeting.

Their next directional objective was to expand into Asia, making contact with the local Resistance Cell. Hell, maybe even running into some old friends of the Commander, if the rumor mill was to be trusted about that any more than it should be for anything else (which was to say, not at all).

Polo's latest batch of Leader Training finally ended, and Command made the decision _not_ to stick him straight back in. Polo's roar of "ENDLICH! (FINALLY!)" was heard nearly across the entire Avenger.

Even down in the still-being-excavated depths of the ship, where Lazaro Emmerson had just been reassigned from manning a Power Station to excavating a room full of Alien Machinery adjacent to the one being cleared out by the three men of the unofficial 'Clean-Up Corp'. "Welcome to the club!" they had greeted him, waiving.

Farther back up in the _long-since_ cleared upper portions, Nora and Daniel had been on their way from the Living Quarters to the gym, when passing by the Laboratory, they nearly collided in the hall with one of the Scientists themselves, causing him to drop one of the vials he was carrying.

"Whoa there!" Daniel quickly caught it before it hit the ground. "Phew, sorry about that Desmond."

"No no, I should have paid more attention. And hello to you two as well." The man in question smiled as he took the vial back.

Desmond "Dark" Pendulum. Younger than one would expect for a man of his smarts, but still older than to be labeled a "youth" anymore, if the experience that had given him that stich-scar on his lower lip hadn't already done the job.

Dark, short brown hair brushed slightly up, his eyes a few shades darker, one would almost say there was absolutely nothing remarkable about him. But, as fellow connoisseurs of non-traditional art and appreciators of inks, Daniel and Nora were among those privy to the existence of great, striking black tattoos just beneath his sleeves. A large serpent coiled around his whole left arm from shoulder to wrist, and a fierce, howling wolf embossed on his right bicep.

All in all, it wasn't hard to fathom where the nickname found its basis.

"Sooo, whatcha got there?" Nora singsonged with a tilt of her head.

"Aha!" Desmond allowed himself a theatrical pose as he displayed the vial before them "This my friends, is the culmination of our research into subspecies 'M3GA-B17C8'; Codename: Ragnarok. Or as we more commonly refer to it, the Berserker."

"Wait…did you guys seriously label the subspecies as 'Mega-Bitch'?" Daniel chortled.

"Well, actually that was all me…you can't say it isn't apt!"

"Right on man." The street artist fist-bumped the quirky scientist. The classical artist among them however chose to comment on a slightly more pertinent aspect.

"Wasn't that the same research that had you shuttling up and down between the Lab and Research with a Berserker's toe in hand?"

Desmond shuddered, careful this time not to drop the vial.

"I swear, it isn't hard to get behind what Chief Shen says about the Doc being a lot more insidious than we all think when he pulls stuff like this. I mean what _possible_ purpose could any of that have served? I swear he didn't even include any of my notes on the toe in the formulation. And how could he?! It was a freaking _toe_ , for Christ sake! Not the brain, not a gland, not even a fully intact muscle, a _TOE!_ "

The two let Desmond catch his breath with amused expressions.

"So…what does it do?"

Standing back up straight, Desmond cleared his throat. "We – and yes I really do mean _we_ this time – have christened it "Overdrive Serum". In essence, it will endow our soldiers, i.e. one of you guys for example, with a concentrated dose of synthesized formula derived from the Berserker's adrenal glands, bestowing you a semblance of the Berserker's strength, stamina and durability. Temporarily of course, we engineered it to break down after a certain time, else there's no telling what kind of permanent havoc it could cause on your bodies."

"…So you're basically telling us you lot have invented _the_ Super-Steroid." Nora summed up with an uncomfortable grimace, Daniel mimicking her.

"Ah, well…yes, basically." Desmond admitted with a sheepish face, rubbing the back of his head. "Hardly the most enticing prospect, I'll admit. And we can't even make all that much of the stuff, on account of the complexity and the materials necessary. But still!" Desmond perked up, thrusting an index in the air. "Think of the potential groundwork we've laid for after the war! New medicines! Body-strengtheners for the deficient or impaired! Or even…"

Here Desmond's cheeks gained a light dusting of color. "…*Cough* A key for bodybuilding beach-babes…"

"…"

"Hey! Don't give me those looks you two! You'd be thinking about it too! I mean could you imagine what someone like Locksley would look like after taking a refined version of this?"

The two opened their mouths...

…and promptly closed them as they were assaulted by the _very vivid_ picture of Jahana in a sheer white bikini, an Amazon Goddess as her gorgeous muscles rippled and glistened from a fresh swim, braids loose and brow-ring glinting, the stringy material concealing practically nothing even as it strained to contain her golden glory…

Daniel _really_ wished he had his bandana to cover his face right now, his bright blush visible even despite his darker complexion.

Nora's face meanwhile was positively luminescent, her glasses sliding down her nose as she sagged forward slightly, looking like she was about to either faint or start drooling.

"I rest my case." Desmond declared smugly.

Then he gave a short chuckle as he looked away briefly. "Although I have to admit that Shen and her folks over in engineering would give us a run for our money in that department. I mean, have you _seen_ how hot she looked in that new Spider Suit?"

Desmond became acutely aware of a change in in the air all of a sudden. He glanced back, only to see the two back from fantasy-land and glaring at him thunderously, jaws set and fists clenched.

Now Desmond had quite a bit more grit than your average scientist. He'd been training to join X-COM as a soldier after all. Had been ever since his father started teaching him years ago. In the end it turned out it was not meant to be, but he would never trade where he was now, the chance to help the fight in ways just as crucial as combat, for anything in the world.

That said, even he recognized this as a situation where it would be in the better interest of his person, and health, for him to not dare tread.

The (his) scientific designation for it was "Only _we_ get to fantasize about her like that!" (Or OWGTFAHLT, for short). Very volatile, and potentially deadly if triggered without the proper fail-safes in place. Namely, knowing when to bow out.

"Well it was lovely talking to you I have to go now bye!" And with that, he speedily ducked into the Lab.

Leaving the two standing in the hall, needing to cool off in more ways than one.

"…Cold shower?"

"I don't think I'll be able to think straight for the day otherwise…"

"…What if _she's_ there right now?"

"Then Danny-boy, I hope you don't mind joining me for a jog outside."

"We're in the middle of the New Artic."

"Precisely."

"…I vote we do that in the first place just to be sure."

"Agreed."

* * *

"Whew, never thought I'd ever be on the receiving end of a _double_ dose of OWGTFAHLT in my life. I need to work on my resistance training…"

"What are you on about now, Desmond?"

The said man looked up into his workspace to for the last several months to spot his partner in crime and science (but not criminal science, Russle would have their heads, and not scientific crime, because that was just _far_ too dastardly), Kent Toft "Subtugger" Nielsen. Or just Kent to his friends.

Another soul whose original destiny had never been to be a scientist _or_ a soldier. Kent had initially fled from ADVENT persecution to the UK, or whatever cockamamie new name the aliens had given it, alongside his wife Jessie.

Sadly, the camp they were in was attacked, and somewhere in the carnage, Jessie had somehow been…well as unscientific as it sounded, 'zombified'. Central claimed it was most likely the work of an old alien species called Chrys-something, but Desmond couldn't remember.

Kent had been lucky to have been handed a gun. He was unlucky enough to be forced to be the one to use it on the twisted remains of his once-beloved wife.

After that, he'd thrown himself body and soul into the UK branch of the Resistance, and eventually his hard work and dedication got him shipped to the Avenger once the Commander had been recovered.

And now that same man, with his dark, short, receding hair dark eyes, five o' clock shadow and a tattoo similar to Desmond's wolf on his left arm, visible thanks to his rolled-up sleeves, was looking at him quizzically as he waited for the results of some test or other.

"Nothing Kent, just ran into some friends of mine outside, and might have made them a little more upset than I meant to. And possibly a little hornier…"

"I'm sure I don't want to know. Now hurry up and hand me that sample, we need to finish the recombination before it settles."

"The sooner would be the better I believe."

Desmond now turned to see his boss in all but name also in the room, looking over a series of notes he and Kent had left out.

"Dr. Tygan! It's not often we see you all the way up here."

"Yes. Forgive me, I didn't mean to linger. My thoughts merely cause me occasionally drag on my feet these days."

"Thoughts, Doctor?"

Tygan sighed as he looked up, adjusting his glasses.

"I've started to wonder, for instance, how the ADVENT administration views our current band of renegades. Do they see as an actual threat, or more of a nuisance?"

"Doesn't matter." Desmond proclaimed with vigorous certainty. " _We_ know the **truth** , and the truth is we're going to boot these alien scumbags off our planet kicking and screaming, laughing all the while."

For the first in a long a very long time, Richard Tygan blinked. Then a slight twitch tilted the corners of his mouth, as Kent nodded his head approvingly.

"Well said."

* * *

Barely two days later, and a fresh batch of Hell broke loose.

Rebel Springs, a Resistance Camp in New Mexico, came under ADVENT retaliation. It was time to dive feet first into the fires once again.

" _Oh boy_ , I **hate** these kind of missions." Jahana grumbled as the designated squad suited up in record time.

"Is there _any_ kind of mission that's not to hate?" Tudor posed with a quirked brow.

"Touché."

" _Unsinn! (Nonsense!)_ Finally a chance to return to the front lines with my comrades, and deliver swift fiery death to the Alien Bastarde! _ANGREIFEN! (CHARGE!)_ " Polo boomed.

"Alright alright, settle down Big Fella, first we gotta _get_ to the varmints so we can blast 'em." Luce tried in what he knew to be in vain to calm the German Giant down, chuckling all the while.

"Hey John." Nora asked the man as he suited up. She might not be going with them, but she still came to wish them luck as she did at the onset of every mission she felt in her bones was big enough to warrant it. Daniel and Tommy, fresh from sickbed, were there beside her for much the same reason. "How come Lucia's not here to see you off? Trouble in paradise already?"

"No." John answered simply with a calm smile. "Tom here might be out of the Medbay, but Morberis still needs her skills at the helm. She did make me promise something though. Or rather, she and I made a deal."

"Which was?" All three asked at once.

"That if we get back without any injuries, especially me, she and I could and would spend diner and the evening together."

"That's sweet." Nora gushed.

"Good on you Captain." Tommy grinned.

"Whohoo, main man Cap in the house!" Daniel laughed as he mock-punched the man in the shoulder. "Hey Firefly, you hear?"

"Yeah yeah, don't get hurt so Johnny-Boy can get it on tonight, got it." She tossed back through her own grin as she loaded Critical. "Say, where's Naomi?"

" _Here._ "

In stomped the redhead, clad yet _another_ new kind or armor, this one _much_ bulkier than the Spider Suit Jahana currently wore or even the Predator armor of the others, if only by virtue of the _huge motorized arm-braces_ that linked from the heavy-gauntleted forearms to the top of the back. A similar setup stretched from the knees to the hips. The rest of the suit looked heavily reinforced, with additional metal plating covering the torso and shins. Naomi even had her previously bare biceps covered, her arms fully sleeved and protected.

Behind the grinning, walking fortress of a woman, Lily scurried up alongside her, hurriedly taping away at a datapad as she spoke.

"The E.X.O. Armor Suit gives you the power you need to handle heavy weapons, with the durability to match." She looked up apologetically. "I'm sorry Naomi. I wish we had more time to get you acclimated to it, but the Commander _insisted_ we give it to you to live test in the field."

"Sweetheart." The redhead interrupted with a _pop_ of the left gauntlet's top plate, revealing the barrel of what appeared to be a miniature cannon. "Believe me when I say that giving me a _rocket-launcher_ to test-drive is **far** from something I'm going to hold against either of you."

"HERRLICH! (GLORIOUS!) Warum (why) was I not informed of the existence of such a magnificent tool with which to spread even more death and explosions to unsere Feinde (our enemies)?!"

"Hey come on Big Man. You've already got plenty of boom to go around, why not let some of us have a go?" Naomi replied.

"Natürlich! (Of course!) Entschuldigung. Such selfishness and hoarding of the Holy Explosive's Gift is deeply unbecoming of me. I shall obliterate twice as many foes as penance for my most grievous offence!"

"So I have been witness, so it shall be." Tudor proclaimed to seal his superior's holy pledge.

"HAIL AND WITNESS!" Tommy exulted, concluding the impromptu ceremony.

"That's the spirit!" Luce cackled. "Come on, let's go kick some tail!" he ran up the ramp into the Skyranger, the Boom brothers plodding behind him followed by John.

"Well, looks like we're off." Jahana laughed as she turned Tom, giving him a quick one-armed embrace. "Keep your head together TomTom, I'll bring your big brothers back as soon as I can."

The young man grinned, his long locks bobbing as he nodded and returned the gesture.

Then when Nora and Daniel's turn came, she grabbed them both in a tight hug. "See you soon you two. I'll come back in one piece."

"You always do."

"Go give 'em Hell, Fire Angel."

" _What do you mean I can't wear my hat?_ "

The remaining four turned to see Lily holding out a standard helmet to the indignant Naomi, who clutched her hat to her head as if the brainy brunette were about to snatch it away.

"Naomi, you _can't_ not wear proper head protection if you're going to go charging in wearing that suit. I already wasn't sold on how you did so last time, but neither I nor the Commander are having you lose your head in the middle of a literal warzone because you prioritized form over function!"

"… _Fine._ " The redhead sighed, snatching the helmet, reached up and removed her hat, before placing it square on Lily's head. "It looks good enough on you for me to tolerate you keeping hold of it till I get back. But don't you dare lose it or _God Forbid_ , get stains of any kind on it. _Capisce?_ "

"Crystal." Lily giggled, adjusting the hat so it sat properly on her raven tresses. Everyone present could not deny it, she rocked the thing pretty darn well.

Naomi nodded with a rueful smile. "Good." She slipped the helmet on and fastened it, as she stomped up the ramp, Jahana and falling in step with her. "Time to jump feet first into Hell!"


End file.
